Hiei's Love
by LilyQuix
Summary: Hiei has always been on his own but what happens when an old childhood friend comes to him asking for help.Meanwhile Yusuke is sent on a mission to find the girl and give her to spirit world.Which side will Hiei chose? Her's or Yusuke's?
1. A Reminder of Home

**Revision 8/7/14**

**NOTE:**

**Kurama and Kuwabara are still in high school, they're seniors. Hiei has come back to the human world, wandering around from country to country and seemingly exploring under his new freedom from Spirit World. Yusuke's life has barely moved. He still lives with his mom, but has a steady job as a laborer with a construction company. He barely passed the GED examine thanks to Keiko and no longer needs to even think about school. Boton is still Yusuke's detective advisor and is in charge of watching over the whole of Japan while her fellow witches also watch over the rest of the world now that the gates between the human world and demon world are down. Genki is still alive and well and is even teach Yukina about more mundane forms or healing from the plants that grow in her forest.**

**Kurama**

My day starts out normal. I wake up, have breakfast with my family, and then I leave with my little brother. We talk about the same things that we did yesterday (school and his friends) and then I head to my own school.

I look up. The sky is clear today without any clouds. I feel something in the air though; a type of power or scent that I feel like I should know. It's very slight, but it feels like it's everywhere the way my mind is whirling by it. I feel Yoko stir within me but I rush forward to keep him locked away. It's wild, but not wild like an animal but. It's more like a demon, but stained with a musk of metal. As soon as I enter the building, it's gone.

I take deep breaths until I sit at my desk. I notice the new desk added to mine but try to focus on what the scent was like. I shake my head. I can't even remember what it smelled like now. It's so strange how awakening it was and how fleeting it now it. I pull a book out of my bag and pretend to read it while I focus on the scent more closely without waking Yoko anymore.

I close my eyes as Yoko volunteers a picture to me. It's a forest, a demon forest more specifically with the veins of the plants pulsing with sluggish red blood. I open my eyes and close my book as the teacher comes in. Why would he show me that? We're in the human world, in a city no less. I narrow my eyes to no one in particular as everyone rushes to their seats. There must be a nature demon somewhere close to here. The real question is if they're friendly. I look up and see a girl standing at the front next to the teacher. She's not smiling.

"Today we have a new student class," Mr. Take announces and takes a step to the left. He nods to the girl and she takes a piece of chalk to write her name on the board. When she's done, she steps to the right so we can see her name. She's still not smiling. If anything she looks bored and maybe annoyed.

"I am Asami Kehero. I hope you will welcome me here," She says in a sweet voice now and smiles cutely with her eyes closed as she takes a short bow. She has an accent that is thicker than anyone American. I can understand her though even though her words aren't pronounced correctly. She's not American either though. I glance around without moving my head. Most of the guys are staring at her. Even Yu Kaito seems interested in her. I sigh. The only emotion I can't fake as a human, infatuation. She opens her eyes and looks straight out. She looks like a completely different person now.

She is beautiful though, for a human that is. Her hair is hazel and looks partly blond in the light. Her eyes are almond shaped and are colored bright green. I narrow in on those eyes. I've never seen a human with green eyes like hers, only demons. I would guess she's about Hiei's height, possible taller. I don't feel any sort of demonic energy coming off her though so she can't be the demon.

"Ms. Kehero, please take a seat next to Minamino," Take tells her and points to the desk next to mine. She nods her head slowly and moves, taking slow even steps. She stares at me while she still continues to smile slightly. I stare back. Her eyes and her face are almost two separate

"Kehero has transferred here from America and has lived in many countries over the years. It would be in all of your best interests to ask her about any parts of the world you may be interested in visiting either with the school or in your own lives," He tells the class seriously in a thick voice before rooting through his bag for the lesson plans. I look back at her name on the board. Most foreigners make mistakes with kanji. She didn't make any at all. Her hand didn't shake or relieve pressure as she was writing either. Everything was absolutely perfect. She slides into her seat next to me and puts her bag on her desk.

"Kehero, if you have any trouble understanding your lessons, please refer to any of the teachers or Minamino first. He's one of our brightest students," Take tells her directly before starting the lesson. I glance over to her and see her nod her head as she takes out a green notebook. On the cover is a barrage of swirls and patterned leaves done in black pen.

She still smells perfectly human from here and her energy is still just as human as when she was standing at the front of the class. The only thing strange is how weak her energy is. Her skin is healthy and her body is young. There's no sickness, no possession, nothing to explain her weak energy. I clutch my hands together. If I could only use Yoko's power than I might be able to pick out anything she's hiding but it's too risky here.

"Like what you see?" She whispers and turns her head slightly to me. Her smile is mischievous and slight, much different from the one she had before and her eyes look a shade darker. I inhale and look away to hide my face. That scent…wild and tinged with iron and undergrowth. My heart pounds loud and my mind goes blank. That scent…I know that scent but from where. It's the same scent from outside but that shouldn't here or on her. That's the scent of the Ketsueki no Mori in Demon World.

"I hope we'll become friends…Minamino," She smirks, pausing right before my name in a very delicate way that sounds almost dangerous. Why does this feel so familiar to me? I search through my memories and then stop myself. No, I can't focus on this now. Yoko is already pushing to break out, I don't need to give him a means to do so. I need to keep up with my ruse here no matter what. I take out my notebook and start to take down the notes on the bored. My mind keeps turning to that scent. I feel Yoko stirring dangerously so every time. I can't help it though. How long has it been since I've been to that forest, or any demon forest in general? Too long. The only ones still left after the war are filled with dead trees, bandit demons, and feral wolf demons. There's no _true _forest left standing for nature demons. I narrow my eyes. Yomi made sure of that even before he became a king and I made the mistake of helping him.

A few hours later the bell rings for lunch. I don't remember what notes I wrote down or what any of the lessons were about. I close my notebook and get out of my desk to put it away. I don't even remember switching my notebooks between lessons either but by now it's automatic in this body.

I look at Kehero. She has that same green notebook out I can tell and she's barely moved. Her writing is slanted to the left slightly and I see her drawing around the edges of the pages with expertly drawn sketches done by her left hand. Down the right of her current page is a pack of wolves, running down the page so close that there's no space between them at all. Some have faces as they look up and all have significant markings that have been darkened in. I put my hands on my desk and learn in.

On the left are vines with curling leaves and sharp thorns that are done around her notes. At the top of the page are math notes and underneath it all is a line that separates it from her English notes. This is an American habit I've noticed through our exchange students. I pull back a shake my head. Those drawings aren't human though. I swallow hard. What is she?

"Did you understand everything all right?" I ask her in a completely normal voice. She pauses her pen where it was continuing to draw a flower in mid-bloom. She looks up at me, her smile and eyes innocent and smiling. She clicks the pen closed without a glance and pushes herself up to her feet to face me properly. She is about a foot shorter than me just as I suspected.

"Yes," She answers and smiles as she shoves her notebook away. She opens her mouth to say more before a few girls come over and start introducing themselves to her in hurried voices. She seems to understand them perfectly even though her responses are slightly off. The girls push her to the other side of the room and seat her in a chair where everyone crowds around her.

I've never seen my class become so…riled up over a new student. I sigh and shake my head. Humans are curious beings. I'll never fully understand them I think. I pick up my bag and move to a seat that has more light to read and eat my lunch. I block them and Yoko out with my book.

"It sounds like your family is pretty rich?" A girl, Tomiko, asks. Everyone has quieted down now after about fifteen minutes of hurried questions. I stop reading. It's strange how controlled my classmates seem now. I glance over. I can't see Kehero at all. What's going on?

"Yes, they are. They work all around the world as investors," She responds in a sweetly innocent voice.

"Have you ever been to Russia?" Yokomaru asks. I can hear the smile in his voice. He's always wanted to visit there I remember.

"Yes…" She answers in a soft voice, "I was raised there."

"What was Russia like? I bet it was cold there," He asks. As far as I know, it's only cold in the winter. Yokomaru isn't known for doing his research though.

"No, it's not that cold. It's beautiful there though…" She started and her voice turned excited. I listened as she described the architecture. I close my book and let my mind wander. I can clearly picture what the buildings of St. Petersburg look like but I can only imagine the churches she describes. She states she isn't religious, but the churches were beautiful there although they were old and some were condemned at times.

Her voice changes then, it becomes softer and almost rolling as she talks about the wilderness. Her voice has dropped half a pitch lower. I stand up and watch. Her hands are moving in swirls and signs as she describes the plains and then the trees as well before moving the wildlife. She describes how the night looks different on the plains, how the stars are easier to see and how the howling of wolves sounds like a melody as they sing to their dead. She describes nights where she would sit on the ground and watch the wolves run after they howled, how they stopped every time they entered her sight and how she would always see the lead wolf's eyes staring at her before they continued to run off.

She pauses then. I grab my hands to stop them from shaking. There's a demon here, a powerful one. I grab my chest. This isn't from Yoko. This is a demon aura tearing me apart. It's like a thorned vine wrapping around me. I look at Kehero again. I stop breathing.

It's a ghost it seems. She standing on the desk next to Kehero, staring at me. She sees that I see her and smiles mischievously with her dangerous forest green eyes playing with me. The pain is gone then. She opens her mouth and I see her fangs sharp and strong. She's wearing a loose silver kimono that's partly hanging off her right shoulder. The fabric is decorated in pictures of running wolves of all colors; wolves running on the wind I recognize as they move without her moving. Her right hand rests on her hip and I can pick out her diamond shaped nails from this distance. Her other hand is limp at her side. She mouths a word.

"I always loved the wolves. They made me feel like I wasn't alone," Kehero finishes now and the spell is broken. I breathe in deeply and blink. The ghost is gone. A breeze ruffles through the classroom toward me and I chocked on the scent that's forced into my nose. It's the same scent as earlier. Why do I feel like I remember her? Why does this scent make me feel scared and happy both at the same time? I breathe in deeply and look away. Something isn't right here. I need to confront her or something. Even if she smells human, there's defiantly something demonic here. What do they want from me? What does this…demon want with me?

"Were you ever scared that the wolves might get you?" A girl asks scared. I can't determine who she is right now.

"Why would I be?" Kehero asks innocently before correcting herself, "I was always a fast runner I was told. So, I always knew I would be able to get away. Anyways, is there anywhere fun to go in this town?" She recovers quickly. This is her act, innocent little human girl. How is she able to keep everything demon about her hidden away? Is she like me? Trapped in a human body? Everyone drops the wolf subject and starts talking about the town.

The teacher enters just minutes later. I take a deep breath and take out my notes at my desk. I don't know what I should do at this moment about her. If I confront her today, there's a chance I could die and also that this town could be destroyed. I don't know if she used to be an ally, or if she was, is she still? If I can, I think I need to proceed carefully and possibly talk to Spirit World. Kehero slides into the seat next to me. I don't look at her at all.

"That is all for today class," The teacher says then. I blink at my notes. My mind took over and went through class without me being conscious about it again. I need to contact Spirit World and gather information. She may be a registered demon, or she is possessing a human somehow, which is still illegal. I reach under my desk and take my bag. I need to get home as soon as possible. I'm nowhere near as strong as her.

"So, it's time to go home?" Kehero asks me after she gets up. I look over now. She slides her notebook into her bag before I can even glance at it. I stand up and see that there's nothing else in her bag. No house keys, no phone, no other notebooks or pens.

"Yes. Do you live far from here?" I ask as I slowly pack my bag. If she tells me the truth I might have an approximate distance to give Koema.

"No. I live in the complex a few blocks south," She responds. I click my bag closed. I live south of here also.

"Okay then. I'll see you tomorrow. Take care and be careful walking home," I say and smile. She smiles back.

"I will. My friend is walking with me so I'll be fine. Have a nice afternoon," She says and gracefully leaves. I wait a few minutes and then follow her out. I watch her leave the gate with her back straight and her head held high. She turns left and I follow. This is south, but I want to make sure she's telling the truth. If she leaves the city, I'll go home in order to avoid danger. Slowly, her proper walk turns into graceful, flowing steps that look as though she's walking on the wind.

**Kikaro**

I breathe out heavily. I hate this air, I hate cities, and I hate streets like these. Asami likes them though. At least she picked a place with some wilderness nearby. It's very little though. I roll my shoulders. I want a run. I've missed it since I can't have my claws anymore. I look up at the sky. I can't believe that was Yoko. How disappointing…

"You look ridiculous," Hiei says and laughs. I look right and see him matching my pace. He takes my bag from me and lets me stretch my arms. I want to be out of this uniform and this shirt. I don't understand why humans where clothes like this. Asami always gives me strange answers when I ask her. I look at the cherry blossom petals on the ground. This city isn't as good as St. Petersburg, but it looks a little better with some color now. I know it will be gone once spring is ended.

"Asami is so stranger. All girls have to wear these clothes to school," I say and wrinkle my nose. I have no problem walking around without clothes, but that is against the law in all countries Asami tells me. She also told me she would stop leaving me in control so much if I did that and paraded her body all over the place. If this situation was reversed (i.e. she was inhabiting my body instead of me living in hers) I would be fine with her running around naked. It must be a wolf thing.

"Did you see him?" He asks in a low voice. I cross my arms behind my back and rest my hands just over my hips. I've missed being comfortable. Asami has controlled me enough today. I need to feel like myself again. The drawing isn't helping like it used to now that I have to stop and write down all the notes the teacher writes on the board. There's also Asami yelling at me to write down certain things he says. It's annoying.

"Yes," I answer disappointedly. He doesn't ask why. I remember how disappointed he was too. "Did you find my brother?" I ask. He doesn't respond for a moment.

"Yes. He was right where she said he would be. The security is tight and sensitive. It won't be easy to get to the main building," He tells me in an equally disappointed voice. I pause. I close my eyes and let some of my sealed energy through the cracks I've made over these last few months. My nose inhales sharply and I can smell everything. There's rain on the way and heading in the direction of my brother.

"It's going to rain there. We should strike then," I tell him and open my eyes. I seal the energy away before it has a chance to be noticed. It was only enough to let me smell but even I can't control my own power in this body. I glance over to him. He's thinking.

"I said I would find him on my own," He tells me without looking over. I shake my head.

"He's my brother though. I've always let you handle dealing with your sister, let me deal with saving my brother," I tell him sternly. He doesn't say anything then. I uncurl a hand and touch his check to turn his face to me. He hasn't slept in days I can see.

"Let's rest tonight, we'll leave in the morning," I tell him. He still doesn't respond. He nods his head then and I take my hand away. He doesn't like me to show affection towards him in public. I'm the same way, but I need him to understand what I'm telling him before he does anything stupid.

My brother…

I breathe out slowly. I thought for years that he had died with the rest of our clan, but no. My friend, one of my only friends left actually, told me she knew where he was. Leare always knew where people were, she just wouldn't tell you. She needed a reason to tell anyone anything she told me once. Their reasons could never be her reasons she told me also, because she is a special being that is of none of the planes but at the same time part of all of them just like us wolves are. She's never told me why though, that she and her brother are separate from all of us. I never understood that.

My brother is with Black Bird, a human demon trader that works off the edge of Mt. Fuji. Asami has asked me over and over again what that means because she is a stupid human. Black Bird grinds ogre's horns while they're still alive, she drains the powers of demons while they scream, and from witches she takes their souls and seals them into future-telling stones. She's sold human souls to hungry demons before, and even sells demons themselves.

Black Bird is the best in her industry, and she is also the worst. Her army is much grander than any of the kings ever had. She could take on her country at least I believe, but that's only what I can gather from what I've heard. She has her heavy weights and her sensitives lined up everywhere near her building I assume. Humans make mistakes though and that is how we will beat her.

I dig my dull human nails into my palms. I can only imagine how she is hurting my brother. He is a Golden Child (a wolf who bleeds liquid gold). It's rarer than Blood Children (wolves whose blood crystalizes into bloodstones) or Moon Children (wolves who bleed silver rock which we use to forge our homes and also dip our claws in for hunts, festivals, and battles).

He's my brother first though, a golden child second, and my Prince last. Black Bird will die for hurting him. I shake Asami awake and let her take control before I lose it again. I can't afford to do that here with Yoko in the city. He's too entwined with Spirit World.

I have too much anger against everyone. I hate Yomi, the one king who went against our treaty and killed most of my clan. He forced us to leave the demon world and beg for refuge from King Enma. Such shame we all felt when we slunk into the wilderness of Russia with our tails hid between our legs. I hate him for that shame. I hate him for spreading lies of me finishing off my clan and for making me into some kind of outlaw before stealing my knife from me. Most of my allies in demon world don't even want to hear my name spoken in their presence because of their disgust with me.

'_Shasharo is a traitor'_

That's all they think. Wolves are proud, we are family. We protect the balance, we keep the three planes of existence alive. We were first made from the ash of demons and blood of wolves. We are…we were apart from everyone. We had only each other, never others.

I clench my hands as Asami forces me back into control. Hiei brushes a curl behind my ear. That's the most affection he'll show me out here.

"She'll pay," He only says. I nod my head. Asami must have said something to him.

I purse my lips together. I only have a few allies now. I have Leare and her brother, a few others with her, and then Hiei. If he hadn't found me….I would have still be fading away in this human's body, running and hiding when Leare warns me that Spirit World is close. I always wonder if she led him to me…neither one will say anything about it though.

"Everyone will pay," I respond and sharpen my eyes as we near my apartment. I unfold my arms and head up the outside stairs.

**A week later**

"No." Yusuke says and starts walking down the street. The sun is starting set. He sighs and rolls his shoulders. He feels out of shape now that he isn't fighting at all.

"Yusuke, this is important!" Boton shouts as she rushes behind him. He thinks about it and then shakes his head. He has to go home and check on his mom. She's finally starting to get her life together again and is looking for a steady job. He's supposed to be helping her by being home on time every night and not making her worry. He hasn't been doing very well with that recently though.

"Hand it to Kuwabara. I don't have time," He responds without stopping.

"I don't have time either Urameshi," Kuwanara says as he walks next to him. Yusuke's work is right next to his high school so they often see each other on their way home for now. Once the new auto shop is finished, Yusuke will be moved onto the next worksite somewhere else.

"This is a very important case, Yusuke," Boton says sincerely as she jumps in front of him, "Kurama noticed a demon in disguise at his school." Yusuke stops then and rethinks it all. Kurama usually handled these things on his own. It must be serious he reasons.

"Who is it?" He asks in a low voice.

"Kurama asked Koenma to check her out. She's going by the human name Asami Kehero, but her real name is Kikiaro. She's wanted for the theft of the Rehiru Dagger," Boton starts.

"What do you want me to do then?" He asks.

"Koema wants you to capture her and recover the dagger. It's a powerful demon artifact that's older than the human race," She says desperately.

"What's so dangerous about it?" He asks.

"We don't actually know. There are a lot of conflicting reports over the years. We only know that any demon weapons from that era are more dangerous than any ones forged now," She says seriously. He doesn't question it any further as Boton leads him away to a more secluded area.

**An hour later in the forest**

"-and that's all we know," Boton finishes telling everyone.

"I refuse," Hiei says right away. Kurama stares at him with surprisingly narrowed eyes.

"Asami Kehero is a real human I assume and this demon is only possessing her body at the time. The Rehiru is defiantly powerful and if she can use it, she's even more dangerous," Kurama says slowly.

"What do you know about it Kurama?" Yusuke asks and crosses his arms.

"I've only seen it once…" Kurama says and then furrows his brows as the information suddenly disappears from his mind. Yoko is purposely hiding things from him he can tell but he can't deal with the issue now. "It can only be used by those of the demon wolf tribes, but that's all I remember," He answers instead.

"Why won't you help?" Yusuke asks Hiei. Hiei stares at him. Yusuke rolls his shoulders something isn't right here he can tell.

"I have more important things to do at the moment," He says as cold as ever.

**Asami**

I dig my human fingers into the bark. Yoko is planning something. He has that look in his eyes that he knows something but he doesn't know how to say it. I clench my teeth. We made a pact, but I guess that doesn't matter anymore now that he's a scheming human. I looked all over this pitiful world for him, and this is what I get in return. I shouldn't have assumed that Yoko would still be my ally after all this time.

Hiei helped me up this tree so I could sleep a few hours ago. Then these people came. I can't fight in the state this body is in and I can't run like Hiei in this body like I used to be able to. I feel so ashamed. I couldn't save my brother, we didn't even make it to the main building. We took down most of her army though so it should weaken her a little until we're able to try again. We have to hurry and recover though before she recovers as well.

I press my hands to my wounds. A demon sword cut us both and forced us to retreat. Hiei was slashed across his back and I was stabbed through the right side of my abdomen and also over my right shoulder. Both of them still burn and aren't healing like they should be. I'm in a humans' body though, so I shouldn't expect to heal like Hiei has.

"Why are you protecting her Hiei?" Yoko asks. I stop. Hiei was searching for his sister when Yoko came into the picture. I never mentioned him before to Yoko.

"What are you talking about?" Hiei asks. He knows we're caught. I shouldn't have listened to him and moved here. I was safer in Russia.

"You know this demon. You were the friend that walked her home last week," Kurama says. The witch looks away. She knew too. Yoko followed me home, saw Hiei, and this Spirit Wench has been spying on my apartment. I clench my teeth. Why am I so stupid? Why didn't I notice these things?

"So what if I do?" Hiei asks, "It doesn't concern you."

"Boton, did you know about this?" Yusuke asks before judging anything at all. I've heard extensively about him from Leare and Hiei. The half-demon.

"I was going to give Hiei the benefit of the doubt," She answers in a small voice. I put my hands on the tree branch and let myself fall. I land in a crouch on the edge of the circle and stands up tall and proud like a wolf.

"You want me, not him," I say in a dangerous voice as I glare at Yoko. He broke my trust. I growl at him and look at the spirit detective. Leare warned me about him, but she also praised him a lot at the same time.

"So, you're Kiki?" Yusuke asks. I pause before nodding my head. He feels very confident with himself by how he's shortened my fake name.

"I want to make a deal with Spirit World. I don't want to lose my freedom," I tell him. He looks to the witch.

"You stole from Spirit World and are currently possessing the body of a human! You can't make a deal!" She yells at me. I cocked my head to the side and look at her. Asami is yelling at me to put her through. She's not very forceful about it though because she knows that this is not her world anymore.

"I only took back what is rightfully ours. Spirit World had no right to take the Rehiru from Sasharo. That knife has always belonged to the wolves," I tell forcefully her.

"She's right. The Rehiru was made by the wolves for the wolves. It only works for them," Yoko defends. I look at him sideways. He breaks my trust and then defends me…what is he planning?

"It's too dangerous for anyone to have it though, and—," She starts. I take two forceful steps toward her.

"That's only what you believe though! We are the Keepers of the Balance! We protect the humans! We are not murders like you disgusting witches think!" I shout at her angrily. My father always warned me that I had a temper.

"I seem to remember your great protector Sasharo killing cities of humans as well as her own clan before her disappearance!" Boton shouts back. I snarl at her. Hiei grabs my arm before I let Sasharo trickle through just a little bit.

"This isn't helping," He hushes to me. I take a deep breath and walk closer to the trees behind me.

"Boton, the knife isn't the important aspect here," Yoko reminds her. I stare back at her. I have a different approach.

"I know how it must seem, but I am not possessing this girls' body," I tell her. She stares at me defiantly. "I signed a contract with her. We share this body equally." She isn't convinced. I let myself go and feel Asami slide into place. It's always so strange to feel so detached and separate while also seeing the scene before me through her eyes.

"I promise you, I signed the contract with her. She called it a Soul Pact. We both have control of my body, but never at the same time. I hide her in the human world and she shows me her life, that is the full deal," Asami says in her soothing innocent voice. I could never be the innocent one in this place. She looks around to everyone. There's a human with orange hair that I hadn't noticed. He's against a tree with a notebook out. He appears to be going between studying and listening.

"You fool," Hiei says and shakes his head. Asami glares back at him. I smile and laugh. Asami tries to mentally push me farther away but I hold my ground. I'm not going anywhere.

"I've never heard of a demon ever completing that pact honestly though, Kehero. Why do you trust Kikiaro to leave in the end?" Yoko asks.

"Wait," Yusuke says and Asami looks to him, "Before there was a trace of demon energy on you, but now it's gone."

"A Soul Pact involves a demon and human soul agreeing to share the same body. They both have their own separate minds and souls, but the body is shared. One is always in control but both can't be in control at once and neither one can look into each other's minds if the other doesn't allow it," Yoko explains, "When Kikiaro is in charge, her scent smells like a demon wolf's and her energy is tinged demon. When Asami is in charge, she smells and seems completely human."

"Did she threaten you to get you to sign the contract?" The detective asks Asami. She nods her head no.

"I only saw her as a wolf before she approached me, but she never hurt me. She watched me from far away and wouldn't let any of her pack go near me when food was scarce. She trusted me not to harm her pack and I trusted her to keep me safe. That didn't change when she asked me if I would consent to the contact," Asami says strongly. I smile. Asami is so much more than a normal human though. She was never afraid of us and came to nature for solace. That's why us wolves live in nature, solace. She was always a part of us in some way I felt, and that's why I stopped my kin from hunting her and her people even when food was scarce.

"I don't see any problem with it," He says and shrugs. The witch looks mad again and turns red. Good luck Asami, witches are very annoying for a reason.

"Yusuke! She's possessing a harmless girl!" She yells.

"So? The girl agreed to it in the first place, and that knife belongs to her people according to Kurama. I don't think she did anything wrong," he says and shrugs again. The witch still looks angry.

"I'm sorry Asami, but can I speak to Kikiaro?" Yoko asks. She nods her head and bows before letting me through again. I don't want to be here

"Yes?" I question in a rough voice.

"Why did you come here? To Japan I mean. You were both happy in Russia I could from your stories, but you traveled all the way here. Why?" He asks. I stare up at him. This doesn't feel like Yoko. This feels like something with emotions. Like a human.

"I came looking for the prince of my clan. Our leader is gone, Sasharo is gone, there's only him left," I respond. Yoko is not easy to manipulate, but being a different person makes it easier.

"I heard all were dead, including him," He states. I shake my head.

"He's alive. I know so," I say, "I was there and I felt his mind." Yoko was falling into my trap.

"Where is he?" He asks interested. Yoko always had emotions before, he just never showed them. He always loved me and my brother.

"He's in a building near the top of Mt. Fuji. He's been taken by Black Bird," I say. I smile as I see his mind think. I have him now and that means soon I'll have my brother.


	2. Lying is Alright

**Asami**

"Black Bird? Why does that name sound familiar?" Boton said thinking while tapping her finger on her lips.

"Wow, you spirit world people are something else if you don't know who Black Bird is, especially since she has just caught one of you just recently. She catches demons and sells their 'products' on the black market. For example she grounds ogre horns for medicine and she takes orphan souls and sells them to demons," I said suggested waiting for some recognition on her face, "She sometimes steals reapers and harnesses their powers to give to human mercenaries or demons to make them stronger."

"Oh right…" Boton said finally with some recognition and disappointment on her face.

"You're a reaper yourself, aren't you? I didn't think it was physically possible for a reaper not to know who their biggest threat was. I mean come on; I heard she's killed at least three reapers in the past year. And killed another one last week I heard," I said almost laughing at her stupidity. I wonder if I could get my brother back in exchange for her. It was highly possible and would be very easy since its obvious she a ditz. However, I don't believe in making a deal with someone who I want to kill. She hurt my brother and now she was going to die.

"How are we supposed to find this lady?" Yusuke asked, staring at me with distrust and his hands in his pocket. I doubt had anything to take me down in there, but his fingers were dangerous weapons. Especially since he has that spirit gun. I wouldn't want to get hit with that at the moment.

"Right now she's in a cottage by Mt. Fuji. Fitting considering what she does," I answered with a small smile. No matter what I say, this boy is smart enough to not trust me. Oh well, I might be able to kill him in his sleep if he becomes troublesome. I could only hope that he would trust my information and let me lead him there. That would make it easier to get my brother back.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusuke asked looking down at me. No one looked down at me and left with their eyes intact, but I needed him at the moment.

"Mt. Fuji is the number one spot in the world where you humans commit suicide. The things she does there would drive any living thing crazy enough to kill themselves. I have heard that some demons beg for death because of her torturing," I said darkly. Silently I told myself that my brother was suffering there right now while I stood here with the person who wanted to arrest me.

"I've never about heard that," Kuwabara said confidently. "I don't even believe that either," He said smiling a stupid grin. He must be a stupid human as well.

"Well then you're one of the stupidest people in this country called Japan," I said to him, "I'll lead you there and help you get the dagger. In exchange, I ask for spirit world to leave me alone forever. Do we have a deal?" I said looking at the spirit detective. I wasn't going to be able to get to her on my own and still be able to get my brother afterword. It's much easier to have someone else there to do the fighting while I ran with my brother.

"How can we make a deal with you? We don't even know if you're telling the truth?" Boton said outraged. She was going to be harder to deal with. A reaper's disappearance was discovered rather quickly in spirit world.

"How 'bout we check out her story and if it's good then we'll decide," Yusuke said. I wanted to yell that we didn't have time but that would have raised more questions, questions that I didn't want or need to answer. It would just be giving away unnecessary information.

"Okay. You can check out my story. If you want to agree to the deal, Kurama knows where to find me," I said and started to walk away from the group. There was nothing more to say if they weren't going to agree to my deal at the moment.

"How do we know you won't run away? You haven't shown up at school for the past two days. How can we trust you?" Kurama asked. I spun around and started down at him. He was daring to insult my honor by suggesting I was going to run away. Besides, school was boring and I didn't want to deal with everyone while I was injured. Humans were annoying.

"You dare insult my honor, by suggesting that I would run away," I snarled. Wolf demons were different from other demons. We were proud, honorable creatures, unlike most others.

"I'll watch her," Hiei said leaving no room for anyone other to offer any other suggestions.

"I thought you didn't want to help?" Yusuke asked.

"It's sparked my interest," He responded staring at me. It was a good thing I had a true ally here.

**Mt. Fuji is really the number one place people commit suicide. The reason is because most kids crack under pressure from their parents. They have two weeks at the most for summer break and the rest is school. And at parent/teacher conferences, parents will scold their children instead of blaming the teacher. I love Japan, the culture, language, and history. (I know a lot even though I live in America.) Although kids who go to a school in Japan have higher test scores than school in America, the stress is a lot less in America. More time off school so you don't go crazy I guess. I feel bad for those kids in Japan with all their silly laws and pressure. I apologize to any Japanese that read this, because I don't mean this to be insulting.**


	3. Pain is Never a Good Thing

**Chapter 3. **

"Would you mind if I walked you home?" Kurama asked Asami soon after she had started walking away from the group.

"I cannot stop you from doing so, so go ahead. I'll give you my full corporation even though we haven't made the deal yet." Asami said and continued to walk away.

"Hey Boton, check out her story for me." Yusuke said, watching Asami leave. He couldn't trust her yet.

"Right." Boton said and quickly left to spirit world.

Two day later Asami's story was confirmed by Boton and the deal was made. Asami would help them get the dagger back in exchange for Spirit World leaving her alone for good. She, Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara set off to Mount Fuji. Asami had no idea that Spirit World was making other plans to convince her to join the Spirit Detective's team of Demon Allies.

**Asami**

My plan was going perfectly so far. Yusuke had unknowingly agreed to help me get my brother back. After my brother, Zokon, was back, I would give him the dagger and hopefully he could go to the demon world and start gathering up some old contacts so we could go against Yomi.

If they objected then he would definitely tell them that the dagger rightfully belonged to him. Then my cover could very possibly be blown, but by then I would have disappeared again. This time though, I would have the knowledge that my brother is alive.

"Is there a reason we have to walk there?" Yusuke asked me. I was leading with Hiei to my right. The other three followed behind me in a row.

"If we took a helicopter or a car then we would be causing noise. This woman doesn't just use demons to make money. She takes the strongest, and forces them to fight for her. In return, she gives them human souls to feed on." I responded. "Fights this far away would cause trouble for us all. We want to get as close as we can without alerting her, or her demons. The fewer fights, the better."

"Have you been here before Asami?" Kurama asked her as they walked.

"Please don't call me by that disgusting human name. Kikiaro is fine." I said. "In answer to your question, yes I was up here last week scouting. That was when I lost the dagger too." I responded. I still had the dagger, so I was only half lying at the moment. I was up here last week with Hiei though. That demon that got us was still lurking around somewhere, and he would try to taunt both of us to fight. When that fight came around, then the others would figure out that I knew Hiei, unless that fight happened and Hiei wasn't there. I know that was something he didn't want but it was going to happen as long as I stayed with them. They wouldn't know how close our relationship ran though if they were able to put two and two together.

"I have two more questions. First, how can you hide you scent and energy so well and so easily?" Kurama asked. He was right to ask. Demons that stole human bodies usually had a half-demon scent. Demon energy would also be present.

"I don't know. I think it has something to do with this human body." I lied. I had the dagger strapped to my thigh, hidden under my kimono. The dagger not only hides my scent but also my energy as much as possible, as a stealth secret that only revealed itself to certain people. There were many secrets to it. Only a few in my family have been able to unlock even half of those secrets. I guess I was lucky, since the dagger is not meant to be mine. It's meant to be my brothers.

I sensed something demon close by. It was a small presence, probably a weaker class demon used as a sentry. If it spotted us, and left then we would have some time to move before it came back with friends.

A shadow emerged above us. Something was blocking the sun, but what? All of us looked up, and saw a tree falling toward us. All of us jumped either forward or backward, just somewhere away from the tree. Me and Hiei jumped forward and the others backwards, but everyone was able to dodge the tree easily and without injury. However, now the huge tree had separated our group into two.

The big question was who threw the tree. A shadow eclipsed me and Hiei just as the question formed in my head. We both turned our heads and saw a huge black demon with a battle ax in his hand. The demon drew its ax up, and then down chopped it down toward us. Both of us jumped away in opposite directions before he could chop us in half.

For once I was happy on what I chose to wear today. It was a short, dark green Kimono with black pants. Perfect fighting clothes for me. I found it amazing that no one had questioned me not wearing shoes at all. Most humans would, because everyone else wore shoes, so why not question me not wearing them?

"How annoying." I muttered. I didn't want to fight now. More importantly I didn't have anything to fight with. I couldn't use the dagger; otherwise they would know I was lying. I decided to quickly use one of the dagger's techniques that would bring this demon down fast and easy and without a lot of noise.

I quickly unstrapped the dagger, and cut symbols of earth star on the back of each hand while everyone was concentrated on the demon. I put the dagger back once I was finished, and concentrated. I brought forth some of my stored demon power, and formed the energy into the shape of small throwing stars that floated above me. Hiei, meanwhile, kept the demon busy while I powered up this technique. Apparently, everyone was having a hard time dealing any damage to this demon with their little techniques.

I threw the stars and said words in the old demon tongue. _'_

_Earth, help me defeat this demon. Help your child born from you and Water. Trap this demon in a net and tighten it can no more.'_

The stars flew around the demon and created a net of energy around it. The net began to tighten around the demon until you could see blood pool underneath it from the marks it made. I used all of my energy and concentration to quickly make the net smaller, before the demon could cry for help, until the demon was no more than shish-kabobs.

I cut my concentration like a knife through butter, and the net and stars evaporated into gold dust that floated away with the wind. Another power of the dagger was being able to call on the elements for help. The symbols I had made on the back of my hands disappeared immediately since once the spell was finished being cast, the marks disappeared.

The others looked at the pile of demon blood and flesh. Then they looked at me, then once more at the cut up demon.

"That was so cool." Yusuke yelled looking amazed. It wasn't that amazing; my brother could have done much better since he was the one who was supposed to inherit the dagger, and the one trained to use it, not me.

"Yes that was truly an amazing thing you did." Kurama said and looked at her oddly. It was like he was trying to decide who I was. Yoko had seen me use this technique once before, but only once. Did he figure it out yet? How long was it going to take for him, I wondered.

I breathed in sharply. I could feel my wounds pulse with pain. There had been a dull pain there all day as we made the long trek up Mt. Fuji, but now it intensified greatly. Why now?

"What's wrong?" Kurama asked looking at her strangely. My face remained as impassible and unreadable as stone. Showing pain would be a bad thing among these people.

"Nothing," I responded. "We should continue. It won't take long for a demon of this size to go missing." I said and stared walking in the direction we had been heading. I could sense the others follow behind me quietly and quickly. For the rest of the day, we walked in silence until the sun started to set. When I saw the sky began to turn orange, I lead everyone off the path and into the forest. I easily found a small clearing where they could camp.

Some nights ago, me and Hiei had camped here in this same clearing. We had stumbled here after our battle with a strong demon, and had rested here before heading back to the human city where I was forced to live. It seemed like it had been longer ago than just last week. Once in the clearing, everyone started to set up camp, without even a word. While everyone's attention was scattered, I slipped away, deeper into the trees.

I ducked behind a tree, far enough away so no one could see me. My wounds pulsed with pain, more than they had earlier after I had killed that demon. Leaning against a tree, I slid down it until I was on the ground, and let my body grew limp. The pain froze my body so I couldn't move anymore, and I cursed myself for this temporary disability. But then, of course, I had to try not to cry out from the pain. I couldn't beat myself up mentally.

I sensed someone coming closer, but I couldn't hear them. It couldn't have been one of the humans since they were much too loud. So that left Hiei and Kurama. My senses were messed up from the pain, so I couldn't even sense their energy to see who it was.

"Are you alright?" I heard Hiei asked. I was relieved that it was him and not Kurama.

"I'm fine. My wounds just hurt a bit." I struggled to say. I felt the pain sharply increase, and unwillingly moaned. I could feel my face scrunch up involuntarily; and then immediately felt Hiei undo my kimono, which much easier for him than most guys since he was familiar with it. I felt the bandages peel off my skin, and then the cool air hitting my burning wounds. The scent of decay filled my nose, which was one scent that brought unpleasant memories for me, but right now my mind couldn't even begin to formulate those memories.

"Your wounds are black." He said softly. I pried my eyes and saw a worried expression on his face. His expression made my heart ache. I hated when he worried about me. His soft voice came more from disbelief than anything.

We both knew what this meant. That demon that cut us had a decaying spell on it. A decaying spell is a spell that makes wounds decay from the inside out.

They are usually cast on weapons, but there are some who prefer to cast it directly onto someone. Casting it either way takes concentration and time, which is something that is difficult to sacrifice during a battle. That's why it's usually cast indirectly through some kind of sharp weapon.

If it was cast directly though, the entire body decays. With a weapon, only the wounds decay and it spreads slowly.

The only way to stop this was to break the spell. In other words, destroy that sword that the demon had.

The pain never once lessened, but neither did it increase. As I withered in pain, Hiei sat next to me holding me tightly in his arms, but he was careful enough that he didn't touch my wounds.

It didn't help with the pain or stopping the spell, but it soothed my aching heart. He tried many ways to help with both the pain and the spell, but none of them worked. Our minds worked together to formulate a solution, and all we could think of was we had to do something to that demon that cut me.

The pain became bearable long after the sun set. Hiei had gone back to camp multiple times to stop the others from looking for either of us, using so kind of excuses he must of came up with on the spot. On one of his trips back he brought back some clean bandages that he had managed to steal away without anyone noticing. He told me the humans were occupied with food and Kurama was just worried about being found. None of them could have known about his gentle side by the way he acted. I was grateful for that gentleness when he wrapped my wounds for me.

When I was redressed, with Hiei's help, and able to walk normally without flinching, with Hiei's supervision and assured that I wasn't going to topple over. I then headed back to camp, alone. I almost wished the Hiei had walked back with me, but then I reminded myself of who lay at that camp. The enemy, well allies that could turn into enemies at a moments notice.

"There you are. We were worried you had run off." I heard Kurama say as I entered the clearing, which was mostly dark despite the small fire that had been put together. I ignored his comment, and sat against a tree that was farthest away from all of them, but still close enough to the fire light to feel some heat.

"Where did you disappear to?" Yusuke asked. He probably realized after a few minutes of silence that I wasn't going to explain myself to him or anyone else.

"I went to meditate." I said, using my regular excuse in situations like this, usually to my allies, but not anymore. Many of them were gone now.

They seemed to have bought it because they shut up. Soon everyone fell asleep, except me. I offered to take the first shift of guarding, since sleep wasn't going to come easily with this kind of pain pulsing through my body. I only wish that I hadn't been left alone to my thoughts or the pain.


	4. A Mistake Turned Into Danger

**Kikiaro**

At some point in the night the pain must have pushed me to unconsciousness for I had no memory of drifting off to sleep. I only regained consciousness once everyone was awake and noisy. Every single one of them was noisy, especially the human. I kept my eyes closed in silent pain to avoid the idiotic things that he might say, and I avoided moving my body so the spirit detective wouldn't watch me like I was about to run away as he had done all of yesterday. I only awoke fully when Kurama suggested that some wake me.

My eyes revealed that everyone, mostly, was ready, and all except Hiei had food in their hands. I shifted around, making sure nothing on my body was still asleep, before forcing myself to my feet; making it seem as easy as I wished it were. "We should start moving," I said after noticing that dawn had long since passed.

"Would you like something to eat first?" Kurama asked offering me a piece of bread with cheese and meat on top. My body was still human so I took it before heading out of the clearing.

"Let's go," I said and then heard three of them follow me. The human spouted some nonsense that he wasn't ready, and shouted some insult about us leaving him. I ignored him fully and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Pain had now taken control of my body, and I knew that moving forward was my only choice now. That sword needed to be destroyed and Zokon needed to be saved.

We followed the path for an hour or so before the whitewashed cottage came into view. As I remembered, there were no windows and it appeared to be one roomed. The roof had brown with chipped paint and was made of a solid metal that echoed awfully as the wind bushed over it. This time there were no guards in sight and there didn't appear to be any traps. This looked too simple for her.

I listened for demons, I looked for reflection and hidden stings. I found none. "This seems too simple," I muttered. Me and Hiei had been attacked here and hadn't had a chance to go farther. Neither of us knew what to expect.

"Let's just open the door already," The human said and blundered past all us and to the door. Yusuke was about to pull him back before the stupid human tripped and broke through the door. None of us said anything. The next moment, a slight snap was heard and the ground beneath us disappeared.

No one screamed though there was a grunt or two. Unable to do anything, I searched out where everyone was and tried to think of some plan. We were all relatively close, but the human was not among us. If he died, it wouldn't be a big loses. The walls around us shone with yellow smears of an unknown substance. It looked slimy and probably wouldn't help if we wanted to try gripping the sides. Below us the never ending darkness stretched out and above the darkness hid everything. The ground must have just opened to let us through, and then closed again. Even though darkness was everywhere, I searched for the ground. It finally came and all of us landed gracefully on our feet.

"That was a close one," Yusuke said, his words echoing. I ignored the ignorant comment and listened. There had to be more to this trap. This wasn't enough to kill a demon and that's what her traps were built for.

"Sh…" I said as Yusuke's voice, along with Kurama's, interrupted the silence. "Look for a way out, quietly." I listened, and then I heard it. The sound of something heavy and undeterminable coming to flatten us; scrapping the edges and making a rumbling sound.

"We have to move," I said and started muttering a chant to push the thing back into the air to give us a few extra seconds. The fall hadn't helped my injury, and neither would this, but I must do it or we might be crushed. That or trapped under the damn thing.

_Air, repeal your brother and save you niece before he destroys your weapon._

I swept my hands up and pushed the charged energy forward just before a gigantic, circular object almost hit us. The object was pushed up very high despite the amount of energy I released.

"Asami to the left," Yusuke shouted. I darted left and slid into a rectangular hallway a moment before the object slammed back down. I didn't move from my position on the ground until it had stopped shaking from the impact.

"That was a cool trick," Yusuke said trying to make conversation as I got to my feet. Kurama offered me a hand and I ignored it with a glare. Hiei lit a fire in his palm that pushed away the darkness surrounding us, and we move down our only path.

"It is no trick," I responded dully, "Unless that spirit gun of yours is also one." He didn't respond to that. He once was a human, so I couldn't exactly blame him for the stupid comments. Still, he wasn't human anymore and he was also a spirit detective.

"Kikiaro, it just occurred to me that you never told us why you came up here in the first place," Kurama asked. Oh no…if he didn't remember me, he was sure to remember Zokon. I didn't think that part through. But maybe not. They only met once or twice and he was less than a child at that time. Unlike myself, Zokon looked the same as he did before we both changed.

"I heard a rumor that my brother was here," I answered purposefully not telling them his name. My eyes glance to my left to watch Kurama's carefully controlled surprise.

"And was he?" Yusuke asked.

"I didn't get that far," I mumbled ashamed. I had the dagger and Hiei with me and I had still failed to get any information. Our last excursion seemed very pointless at the moment considering how far we got.

"Who's your brother?" Kurama asked.

"He is the leader of our pack. He is Zokon, the true holder of the dagger that was stolen from me," I responded cautiously.

"Why would this woman want him?" Yusuke asked. I didn't respond. It was something I couldn't physically speak without the visions of possible torture to him, coming into my mind.

"His blood turns to gold," Hiei responded for me. _Thank you, _I thought gratefully. Even though I hadn't said it, I felt the ideals come.

"What? That can't be true," Yusuke said shaking his heard. Kurama was thinking it through though.

"My brother is truly special that way. I suggest we walk in silence. We don't know what could be down here," I responded quietly.

As we proceeded down the hallway, we heard only the sounds of our own footsteps. We were surprised when we started to hear distant moans. They were too low to be the idiot, but it was still dangerous. Any living this that was hurt (animal, human, or demon) was dangerous and unpredictable when injured. Caution was the best we could do for now. I felt tensions rise and all of us were careful with our steps and became un-hearable though we weren't un-seeable because of our fire. This couldn't be the prison for it was too far south. The cells were held on the east side I was told.

After many moments of riding the high waves of tension, I was able to pick out a yellow glowing form that wasn't a result of Hiei's fire. As we moved closer we heard a slight dragging sound as well as able to distinguish what we were mostly up against. It looked human, but a skeleton one. It wore ragged clothing and parts of its bones glowed yellow just like the walls had. Its unstable form shook with every step and its left leg dragged uselessly behind it. Every moan caused the glow to become brighter.

Without a pause, Hiei removed his sword and slashed the thing to bits with exactly three slashes. The thing fell apart in many broken parts and all of us stepped past it without a second glance. The bones still glowed dimly but there was no movement or noise from the thing. None of us spoke of the incident as we made our way onward.

We were maybe twenty feet from the thing when we all froze at the sound of rattling and clicking. We all slowly turned around to see the bones back on their feet, putting itself back together on piece at a time. At once, I knew what this was. Ancient humans enchanted their dead with a spell to awaken if demons came to rob the graves of the departed. They didn't awake if humans came by (which defeated the purpose since more humans that demons robbed graves).

Our group contained three demons and a half demon which was more than enough to wake every undead, enchanted body in this place. No matter how many times they were cut down, they would get back up. They only stopped when their bones were dust and never before. Every demon intruder was killed using only their numbers to defeat, and ate the flesh of demons to strengthen their bones. This was really bad. Hiei drew his sword, ready to defend.

"It will keep repairing itself until its bones are completely destroyed. I suggest we run and quickly find a way out of here," I suggest strongly as I resisted the urge to put a hand on his shoulder.

"What are they?" Kurama asked.

"Undead human soldiers to protect the dead. If there's one, there's many more so let's move," I said and started moving quickly ahead with Hiei next to me. Every jolt sent a flash of pain and heat through my upper body but fear caused me to ignore it. I didn't enjoy the idea of undead soldiers eating m living flesh. The two followed and it wasn't long before we heard more moaning and shuffling all around us. One reached out from my right a clasped my hair. I yelped in surprise before Hiei quickly cut its arm off. I pried the still living, severed hand from my hair and we ran.

We didn't stop until we came to a locked door. How predictable… I pushed and kicked the door but the metal door wouldn't budge. A piece of metal fell off and revealed a colorful looking panel. My first thought was Kurama. If he was still as smart as Yoko, he would get this door open faster than I could break it down or figure it out.

"Kurama open the door," I said and turned to face the army growing around us. Without caution, I took out my dagger and prepared myself to stomp on these things bones until they turned to dust. Sadly the boys rushed off first and left me to guard Kurama while he worked. Luckily the boys made a good defense and only a few slipped by. I watched all three of the boy's backs until the army pushed Hiei and Yusuke back with their numbers. Soon we were shoulder to shoulder with Kurama smushed behind us.

"Get that door open!" Yusuke grunted loudly as he took out another with his fists. Its head flew off and disappeared into the crowd.

"I'm working on it," Kurama said frustrated.

"Hurry," I said before punching two down. They disappeared beneath the mass of boney feet.

"It's open," He said finally and we all fell back wards as the door fell open. I had no sense of where he was, but there was now an army stepping on me to get through the door. Something hard hit the back of my head and I yelped in anger. This was pissing me off. The more I struggled beneath the feet the more clawed fingers came down to scratch me. I felt blood drip from a particularly nasty one on my check but so far my clothing had absorbed most of the hits.

"Yusuke!" Kurama yelled. I felt a body drag away from near me. I reached in back of me with my one free hand and felt the cold metal door. I searched for the end but it had to be out of my reach.

"Get me out of here!" I growled loudly. My hand found Hiei's familiar one and I felt him tug me out. Many of the bodies slid off me but a few clinged my clothes and ankles. I was dragged through the slightly open the door and the clinging bodies yanked off me and thrown back into the mob by the other two. I jumped off the ground and all of us pushed against the door. It closed and relocked with a hiss. We all breathed heavily.

"I'm going to kill that idiot," I promised with a huff and started moving forward. This hallway was much smaller and well lit so there was no need of Hiei's fire.

"It wasn't his fault," Yusuke said easily.

"It was entirely his fault," I responded, my hand subconsciously going to my shoulder. That fighting had caused a painful, burning to arise and it began to worry me slightly. My anger for the human and the demon who had done this pushed much of the pain away. That sword needed to be destroyed, soon.

"_Are you alright?" Hiei asked me telepathically._

"_My shoulder is aggravated. We need to destroy that sword," I thought._

"_Do you have any idea where we are?" he asked._

"_I'm not sure. The dungeons can't be far since my contact told me they were underground. Black Bird and the demon…I'm not so sure. They could be anywhere and this place was built on an ancient human burial. This hallway we're in could stretch for miles for all we know," I thought._

"_We can't blast our way out because we could collapse the tunnel on ourselves," he thought._

"_Exactly," I thought. _The tunnel didn't go for miles though. It went for about half a mile before coming to a three way split.

"We should split up," I said. Hiei went to the right path.

"I'll take this one," He said and disappeared into the darkness before anyone could stop him.

"I'll take the middle," I said and took a few steps forward. Yusuke's hand came down heavily on my shoulder.

"I'm coming with then," He responded.

"Kurama, you're on your own then," I responded easily and pushed the hand away before continuing on my path with Yusuke following closely behind.

"_Hiei, find Zokon. Make sure he knows who I am, and make sure he doesn't mess up," I thought hard. I felt the familiar brush with his mind, but nothing else. Still, I felt reassured._


	5. Investigation

Hiei sped down his path, which slanted upward at a steady degree, barley pausing at any of the many conjunctions that he encountered. Since he entered the three way conjunction with the other, he had felt the giant mass of demon minds toward the east, all of them screaming out in rage and anger. At each conjunction he took the path that head mostly east, and took it without a second thought. Suddenly he stopped in his tracks, his head slowly looking up where a square tunnel had been cut straight up. He heard a series of yelps, cries, grunts, and bang coming toward him from the tunnel in a very familiar voice. A moment later Kuwabara crashed painfully into the floor in a very conscious mass. Though Hiei was on an important mission of his own, he couldn't risk this idiot doing something stupid because he had left him alone.

Without thinking, Kuwabara looked up and cried out in fear at Hiei's shadowed face, which looked unfamiliar and deformed to the idiot. His head started to work again, and he picked out that it was Hiei. A moment later he jumped to his feet, spouting some nonsense that only a man with wounded pride could make. All the while, Hiei closed his eyes and resisted the continued pressure to complete his mission and find Zokon.

"Let's move," He said once Kuwabara had paused for breath. A moment later, he was speeding down the hallway again with a complaining human coming behind him, much more slowly. He didn't plan on slowing down. The faster he moved, the more likely that Zokon was alive.

Kurama's path started out calm and quiet as it slopped downwards and then rose sharply upwards on slanted stairs. After a few winding staircases, he come upon many unsuspecting guards that went down crazily easily. As he continued on, he found the guards to be stronger and much more alert that their predecessors. As each take down took longer, guards began to swarm to his position.

With a light footed jog, Yusuke and Kikiaro made their way down their straight path, barley encountering any demons. Without any sign of breathlessness from Yusuke, they reached a heavy door that he easily pushed open while Kikiaro was left gasping for breath behind him. Following Yusuke, Kikiaro looked around as they entered a dimmed, blood soaked arena.

The door behind them slammed, and out of the shadows appeared a dark, grey skinned demon that dragged a long, black sword behind him as he took slow, rolling steps forward. Robes of dreary blues and reds waved in the air along with the skulls and bones hanging from every part of his body.

**Kikiaro**

Unknowingly, I tensioned at the sight of him. My wounds reacted sharply at being so near the same sword that had cut me, and soon liquid fire burned both inside and outside of my body. The demon smiled with his black lips and he pulled his sword forward and stuck it straight up in the ground. It was at least as tall as him (seven feet) and pulsed with a sickening black power in tune with the pulsing pain inside me.

"You are strong to make it back. I applaud that strength almost as much as I applaud that desire you have to live, but did you really think that you could break this," he said and turned his sword so the edge faced me, "on your own?" I wanted to say something back, but the pain froze my brain. Once I had something to say, my lips wouldn't move no matter how much I tried. I vainly tried to move my arms and legs, but everything was paralyzed by the pain. I had no hope to live now.

At each crossroad, Hiei carved a quick arrow into the walls for Kuwabara to follow, but he didn't pause enough for him to catch up. Hiei moved faster to make up for lost time and some he came to a heavily bolted door that emitted some angry demon cries as well as the beautiful smell of death. With worry crushing down on him, enjoying the scent was impossible as well as finding Zokon's mind amid the mass of others, all of which were screaming louder than his. After quickly examining the door, he found it was made of Shambji (a super strong, rare metal found in Demon World) but it was only held down with two bolts made of the same metal. Ever so slowly, Hiei worked to pry the bolts from their places.

After many dead demons and lots of wasted energy and plants, Kurama came to an unlocked door. After entering and locking himself into the room, he found it to be a set up as if to watch some sort of tournament. As he approached one of the many floor to ceiling windows, a sickening dread filled him of what those tournaments were. Blood battles between demons.

In the dim light, Kurama quickly picked out Yusuke and Kiki, both standing before a dark demon. Both looked tense and heavily ready to fight. The demon was talking with a smile, but the two didn't respond. Unable to hear, he rejected the idea to look for an intercom that may or may not exist here. Silently, Kurama watched as the demon rush forward with his impossibly long sword aimed at Kiki. She stood, frozen to the stop with sweat dripping from her face. Yusuke reacted quickly and shoved the demon to the side, making the sword hit nothing but the dirt floor. A quick punch from Yusuke sent him crashing into the wall with the sword still clutched in his hand.

Yusuke turned his head a moment before he sent Kikiaro spinning across the floor. The next moment, the demon was on Yusuke, the sword aimed for his throat. Yusuke ducked and kicked the demon back a few steps. Kiki lay unmoving on the ground as the fight continued to go on. Kurama looked at the demon with narrowed eyes and tried to think of what might be going on that would paralyze Kikiaro to not even try to save her own life. During his observations, he noticed the demon's sword pulsed with a sickening black aura that seemed very familiar.

The metal door collapsed inward with a series of loud clangs as it fell down a set of stairs. A few seconds later Kuwabara arrived. Although Hiei's quest was almost complete, he waited for the human to show in a slight fear of what stupidity the idiot might show. He arrived panting, but still managed to ask a question.

"Are we going down there?" He pointed to the torch lite stairs.

"Yes," Hiei answered and easily walked down the stairs. Soon he came to a landing where another set of stair ascended steeply upwards. He marked the possible exit and moved on down a second flight.

"Why are we going down here?" Kuwabara asked. Hiei felt the anger and fear built up in this pace with each step. Demons of small power were kept down here, and soon he found flat ground. As he moved through the dim hallway, he ignored the demons that banged against the bars on their cells with promises of servitude is freed.

"What is this place?" Kuwabara asked with a hint of fear.

"The dungeon," Hiei responded and searched for Zokon's mind among all of the other ones screaming at him. As they moved, the more active cells faded and the beautiful stench of death grew stronger. As the angry minds faded, he easily located Zokon's half-conscious one, the only one alive for many cells.

"Why are we here?" Kuwabara asked. Hiei stopped in front of a cell and lite a fire in his hand to see inside. There was Zokon: red hair matted, body covered in wounds and scars, arms chained above his slumped forward head, and his clothes nothing more than scraps except for some blackened pants that looked most intact. Anger sparked inside Hiei as he noticed that some of the wounds on Zokon's chest were from today and some on his arms from the day before. Even though he was half dead, the woman was still dragging blood from him.

"Who's he?" Kuwabara asked warily.

"Zokon," Hiei answered loudly as he started to melt the iron bars. Though his sword could probably cut through them easily, he wanted time to communicate with Zokon privately between their minds.

Zokon's head rose up and you could see his eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep and his skin was deadly pale from blood loss. "Hiei," He croaked before coughing a few shaky breaths that rattled his slight frame. His breaths afterward were a little ragged, but soon they calmed down to normal.

The fight below Kurama continued neither fighter able to land a devastating blow. Yusuke's hits only succeeded pushing the demon back, though the demon's hits always missed. Kurama had finally figured out what was going on, but had no way to tell Yusuke or even get down to the arena.

When in the presence of the person or object that cast the spell, a person cursed with a decaying spell would become paralyzed with pain. The window, he found, was made of something like Plexiglas. Instead of trying to break down the enforced walls, he searched for something that could lead him to a door that led into the arena. In the arena, blending into the dark, Kurama picked out a walkway that wrapped around to somewhere behind the room he was in. The walkway also wrapped around to an opposite room where a woman appeared to be watching the fight. She was a stern faced woman with silvering black hair that was tied back into a bun. In the background, two huge demons stood guard to the sides of her. This must be Black Bird.

Quickly he left the room and searched for the walkway that led outside.

Hiei melted the bars enough for him to walk through as well as a little extra since he would have to carry Zokon out. He put the fire out and moved right away to the shackles that bound the wolf demon.

"Who is he?" Kuwabara asked, but didn't come into the cell. Hiei ignored him and ripped the chains from the wall. He wasn't completely sure he could get the shackles off the boy without hurting him, so he convinced himself that it could be worked out later and that this was better for him.

"A human?" Zokon muttered as his dull eyes slowly moved between the two. Wordlessly, Hiei took off his shirt and Zokon watched him drape it over his chest.

"What are you doing?" Kuwabara asked as Hiei kneeled down backwards.

"Grab on," Hiei told Zokon and looked back to make sure the boy didn't strain himself. Slowly Zokon moved his arms and grabbed around Hiei's neck. Hiei carefully stood up before proceeding out of the cell. Like his sister, he was short and light weight, though, unlike her, he was still a child. By the time Hiei was walking down the hall, Zokon was knocked out from the sudden exertion of the energy he barely had.

"He doesn't look so good," Kuwabara noted as he stared at the demon resting on Hiei's back.

"He's been a prisoner here for too long," Hiei responded as they once again entered the noisy area of the dungeon.

We should go find Urameshi," Kuwabara said as they approached the base of the stairs.

"You can it you want," Hiei responded and ascended the stairs with Kuwabara following.

Kurama sailed from the walkway and landed a hard air kick to the demon's sword arm. With a yelp, the sword clattered to the ground, and Kurama scooped it up the moment he landed on the stable ground. The demon's uninjured hand came to punch him, but Kurama ducked away to safety, toward Kikiaro.

"Yusuke, distract him!" Kurama yelled behind him, and soon the demon's attention was off of him and on the now taunting Yusuke. Kurama kneeled down to Kikiaro and examined her without actually touching her. Sweat matted her brow and her eyes unconsciously twitched with pain. After using a number of his vine type plants, some of which were very rare, the sword shattered into a million ebony shards.

"NOOOOOO!" The demon cried a moment before his body bubbled and exploded into thousands of crows. The shards of the sword dissipated into black sand before being swept up into the air with the birds. Kurama looked for Yusuke and saw him walking toward him, though he was clutching his right arm. He looked a lot more battered than before, but he wasn't half dead like usual.

"What's the story with the sword?" He asked as he stood above Kurama and Kiki.

"It was enchanted with something called a decay spell. I will explain it later but I think we should leave," Kurama said as he watched the birds. All their beady eyes were trained on them, which didn't seem to be a good thing. Kurama shifted his gaze to Kiki and looked for a pulse. He found it uneven and slow, but she was at least alive. The whole building shock with caused the boys to lock eyes with each other.

"Yeah, let's go," Yusuke agreed. Kurama picked up Kiki and glanced up to the room across. Black Bird was already gone.

Hiei remained unanswering to Kuwabara's questions, but that didn't stop the human from asking them. Zokon was now propped up against a tree that was fully in the sun. His pale skin seemed to glow and every wound seemed unnatural against the ghostly skin. Slowly, Hiei dabbed at the worsts of the wounds and grew angrier and angrier with each one. Kuwabara mostly watched, but still he kept asking questions with a quiet tone.

"Where's Sasha?" Zokon whispered. Slowly his eyes opened and he moved his head to look at Hiei. He locked eyes with the boy, but didn't answer out loud.

"Who's Sasha?" Kuwabara asked as he bent over the injured boy. Zokon looked at the human but his eyes kept shifting to Hiei, where a mental conversation was going on.

"My sister," Zokon responded and took a shaky breath. Hiei picked up the bottle he had filled with water and put it to the wolf's lips.

"Drink," Hiei commanded and the boy's focus turned completely to Hiei. Slowly he drank from the bottle and emptied the last half.

"It's been a long time since I've had such clean water," Zokon noted, his breathing a little better. He looked back to Kuwabara. He opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped when the ground started to shake. It stopped shortly after but the sounds of rumbling didn't. Hiei's gaze fixed on the small house, but didn't move. A silent conversation went on between the two demons, but Kuwabara was silent. He looked around and silently wondered what was going on. After many, long minutes, Yusuke and Kurama crashed out the door and were soon thrown forward as something exploded behind them. Hiei was up in a minute and searched for Kiki's mind. Worry sunk in as he couldn't find it, though unconscious minds couldn't be found at all. The two got to their knees, but Kurama quickly examined something in front of him. The risen dust settled and Hiei's worry settled when he saw the familiar mass that was his beloved.


	6. Zokon, Yoko, and Sahsa?

As the dust settled, Kurama checked over Kikiaro to make sure she was still alive after their mad dash to escape the explosion. He found that her pulse was shallow but steady, and her skin was deadly pale against her brown curls. Kikiaro had kept her hair tied up through the whole journey, but now it had broken free of its restraints and shaped itself around her heart shaped face.

"She'll live," Kurama said and looked at Yusuke. Currently the boy was looking at the tip of the mountain, which seemed to have sunken at least a few feet because of the explosions. The aftershocks faded into the short silence that already surrounded the group. Kuwabara was the only one who decided to speak spoke.

"Did you guys get the knife?" He asked before running to his friend. Yusuke and Kurama just looked at the human with a little confusion. Somehow that had completely slipped their mind during the fight with the demon and then their life threatening run here.

"Damn it!," Yusuke exclaimed and then slammed his fist into the ground when he remembered that was the whole reason they came all the way up here. The ground erupted and dipped down a foot because of the force.

"I assume Black Bird still has it, and took it with her when she escaped," Kurama said and turned back to Kikiaro's unconscious body. "It's unlikely that she's anywhere near here. It would be best to home and think of a new plan than to waste time searching for her," He continued.

"We should get out of here before any of demons come up here then," Hiei said. A twig thin red haired boy rode on his back, which made the two boys stare at him.

"Who's your friend?" Yusuke asked easily as he rose to his feet. He brushed the magnitude of dust of him while he waited for the answer.

"An old friend," Hiei answered simply and turned to start walking down the path, "Are you coming?" Kurama picked up Kikiaro and followed along with the other two boys following behind him.

"Aw, and I was starting to think you didn't have any friends," Kuwabara joked.

"I kinda have to agree with Kuwabara on this," Yusuke laughed, "Who is he anyhow?"

"I am Zokon, prince of the wolves," The boy answered with a slight sneer. The two froze up for a little since the boy seemed unconscious at first. The strong voice didn't fit his small body also.

**Hiei**

I wrapped my mind comfortably around Sasha's and concentrated. Unconscious minds were impossible to connect with, but Sasha always told me how she could feel my mind wrap around her's even when she wasn't conscious. I was hoping it would snap her out of it, but my doubts were much greater than my hopes.

"Zokon," Kurama said softly to himself. No doubt he would remember the name, but Sasha wondered if that would remind him of her. She was doubtful on it though.

Decaying spells were caused by calling evil spirits of both demon and human, and then commandeding them to eat away at the wound. Since she was unconscious, and still in great pain, there was no doubt that the spirits were strong enough now to survive on their own without their master. Unless something was done about them, they would continue their work until Sasha was dead. It was all up to her spirit to pushed them away now. If only she was in my arms instead of Kurama's, I would be able to lend her some of my own so she could live.

"Who said my name?" Zokon asked.

"_He is Yoko in disguise. Sasha knows this, but follow her lead and call him by the name he gives you," _I sent to Zokon.

"_Okay Hiei," _He responded.

"Kurama," He answered.

"Wait…aren't you the Zokon Kikiaro mention? You're her brother or something," Yusuke said slowly.

"_Explain that you aren't true siblings. Say she is the child of your mother's sister. Remember, your sister is in disguise and must stay like that until she can clear her name," _I sent Zokon quickly.

"In a way. She is the only child of my mother's sister. She was always around me and my actual sister Sasharo, and we treated her just like our own," Zokon said carefully.

"The wolf clan has always been closer and treated each other like family despite actual blood ties," Kurama explained. I opened my eyes and focused on the road ahead. If Sasha awoke, I would know right away.

"How would you know that?" Zokon asked.

"_Tread carefully, Kurama is just as smart as when he was Yoko," _I sent. This was not how I expected this to go. Of course, I didn't expect Sasha to be unconscious still. The act she put up could easily collapse now because of her brother. She wasn't kidding when she said he wasn't the smartest one. I inspected Zokon's mind and saw what she expected: the desire to connect with someone from the past, from a time when things were good.

"I used to be friends with a wolf demon," He responded.

"Sasharo you mean, right Yoko?" Zokon said surely. Kurama froze and didn't say anything. No one except Zokon said anything actually. "My sister searched for you when you disappeared, but it seems she never found what she was looking for or she would still be here," he said with a decent amount of anger, though it was weak because of his condition.

My own mind fell into shock for a bit. I looked deeper into his mind, and then felt like everything would crumble. Me and Sasha never thought that her brother might be lonely when she went off to do anything. We thought that the idea that she was searching hard for Yoko would comfort him, but it seemed to just make him angry. She really was looking for him, but there was always something better that took priority, like tournaments, peace meetings, and…me. The boy should tough up and learn how to survive on his own for once, but he was a prince of course. A prince that was always spoiled while all his responsibilities were dumped on his sister. Although, it seems that toughening up didn't work out the first time since he had fallen into the hands of Black Bird so easily. It isn't that hard to stay low AND find helpful friends. They live all over the world, they aren't that hard to find for those that know them.

"_Zokon, stop,"_

"_NO! I don't care! Sasha left me in the rubble and didn't even bother to check if I was dead. I was left on my own in the human world, and then captured and sold over and over again and again, as well as being tortured with every new power hungry human! That man isn't Yoko. Yoko would have kicked aside my sister and called her weak for falling so easily for a decay spell. This man is too kind, so it's no wonder Sasha failed to get me her first time here!" _He cried angrily at me. My mind blocked him out and went back to Sasha's. I couldn't take it anymore with him. He was Sasha's brother, not mine.

"Yes, but I didn't disappear as willingly as you think," Kurama said in a harder voice than usual.

"You could have come to us. Sasha would have helped you even if everyone else opposed it," Zokon said trying to keep his voice level. Most of his anger had been screamed at me through his mind, but there was still a lot there untapped.

"That wasn't an option at the time. It was hide or die," Kurama said icely. Zokon huffed but didn't respond back. He may have been a prisoner for a long time, but he still had that childness in him that Sasha always loved. I never understood why. That quality in him was the reason she was always left to do his responsibilities.

"So Kurama, you used to know him?" Yusuke asked after a little bit of cool down time. I used my evil eye to look behind me. This seemed like something that might be annoying, but interesting, to watch rather than listen.

"Yes. He was only a child then, but it seems he still is in some ways," Kurama answered, his eyes traveling to the boy.

"It sounds like you and his sister were close," Yusuke responded with a mischievous look on his face. I wonder what he's thinking in that small brain of his.

"We liked to fight, both together and with each other," Kurama responded.

"Did you love her?" Yusuke asked. Kurama froze mid-step and turned red. He bowed his head and kept walking. I felt my face turn a little red and was happy that I was too far ahead for any of them to see. I didn't need them guessing what my relationship with Sasha was, or even that I knew her to begin with. That wasn't part of her plan.

"No," Kurama finally answered.

"Do demons even feel love?" Kuwabara asked.

"In a way, yes," Kurama responded, clearly wanting to get away from this topic though.

"Do you think she loved you?" Yusuke asked.

"She didn't, now stop talking about my sister's love life," Zokon snapped. He rubbed his chin into my shoulder and I felt anger swirl around his mind. I continued to block him out, and barely succeeded to not get mixed into his emotions.

"How would you know?" Yusuke asked suddenly next to me.

"Because she was my sister. She only loved four people specifically in her life, and Yoko wasn't one of them. He was always a good friend who could keep up with her fighting abilities," Zokon said clearly as he removed his chin and faced Yusuke. I started to wonder if he was going to let this go anytime soon.

"Really? Who were those four people then?" Yusuke asked, having another mischievous face on. Why would he ask that? He doesn't know her...not specifically at least.

"_Zokon, don't. I am serious, they can't know my involvement with your sister. They can't make any sort of connection between us until her name is cleared."_

Zokon let out a long sigh and though clenched teeth. "Me, my mother, my father, and Kiki," He answered as her easily mixed the lie in with the truth. At least he could do something right.

"That's boring," Yusuke said and walked away. "So Kuwabara, what happened after you escaped the hole trap?"

"Well the house lead to a long hallway. I followed it and then there was a fork. I took the right one and then the floor opened up. I fell a long way down, and Hiei just happened to be there," Kuwabara said, "What happened to you guys anyways?"

"I'll tell you later," Yusuke said and sighed. He walked back to Kurama who appeared to be staring into space. Out of the six of them, only Yusuke seemed to be the one that looked agitated about not getting the dagger. Talking was his way to avoid thinking about whatever consequences awaited him when we got back I noticed. That didn't mean it didn't annoy me though.

"So Kurama, what is a decay spell?" He finally asked.

"It's a spell that calls evil spirits to eat the flesh of a person. Usually the spirits enter the person's body and eat from the inside out. In Kikiaro's case, a blade with the spell cut her and the spirits probably attacked around her wound. That way causes more pain and less time to live," Kurama said absently.

"That's creepy," Yusuke said. After that, he actually shut up. We continued down the mountain and stopped when night came. Kurama looked at Zokon's wounds and bandaged them better than I could have, and also looked at Kikiaro when no one was looking. No one said anything since Kurama's explanation of the decay spell for the rest of the trip. Zokon and Sasha were taken to her apartment and left there with Zokon to take care of her.

I pretended not to care to the others, and left with them. I came back later and took care of the two of them until Zokon was back on his feet, though he didn't say a word to me. He was trapped in his own little world of emotions that swirled between anger, joy, sadness, and frustration with Sasha completely at the center. I didn't try to talk to him about it, but I did take care of him as Sasha would have. Meaning, making sure he had food and water as well as making sure his wounds didn't get infected.

On the third day of being unconscious, Sasha developed a fever. Even after all the spirit energy I was giving her, she was still fading right before my eyes. Her pulse started to become erratic, and pain surrounded her mind to such a point that my own couldn't get anywhere near hers. Even I couldn't get through to her, I knew she needed more help than I could give. With nowhere better to go, I went to Kurama with my tail tucked between my legs.

**Hiei**

I hide in a tree outside the gates of Kurama's school. Once midday started to rise, my foot started to twitch as worry crushed more and more on my chest and mind. I couldn't stand the waiting anymore. I summonded up a decent amount of energy and shouted a message to Kurama.

"_Kurama, Zokon needs you." _

I couldn't say anything that would directly connect me to Kikiaro. I supposedly didn't know Sasha from the past, but I did know Zokon. Zokon telling me that his sister needed help made more sense than me than knowing she needed help. I tracked Kurama's mind and watched him go right back to reading a book in his lap. I pursed my lips and tried again, rougher this time.

"_Kurama, Zokon thinks Kikiaro is dying. He thinks you can save her." _

He physically twitched, and then his mind froze. Slowly I withdrew as I felt his mind start formulating a plan to get out of school. A long time later, I saw him walk out the doors while pretending to look sick. Once he was out the school gates and around the first corner toward the apartment, I jumped down from the tree and was next to him in a few moments. There were a few people on the street, but none were close enough to hear anything we said to each other.

"You took your sweet time," I told him as I walked next to him. I appeared calm and uncaring, even though everything inside me was busting with worry.

"It's not that easy to get out of school," Kurama answered.

"I don't care. Let's go," I said and ran off with Kurama following behind. None of the few humans seemed to notice. I headed to the apartment building, and soon I stood in front of the door. I easily pushed it open the already unlocked door. The sweet smell of decay wavered out and I pushed Kurama inside before closing the door behind me. Even though the scent was so sweet it was nauseating, it would swarm demons to the place as well as alert the humans that something might be wrong. Even though the scent was a reminder of home, it was a seed of worry that took over everything.

The apartment was bigger than most of the ones in the building. It had exactly three rooms. There was a well-kept bathroom with a few hygiene products for both men and woman, a darkened bedroom dressed in plain furniture and plain bedspreads on two single beds that had been pushed together, and there was a combination kitchen/living/dining area where everything was taking place.

The front door opened to the kitchen aspect of the main room, which was clean and tidy, with the dining area off to the right. It had a table set for four and a three orchids clustered in the middle. In back of both areas was a living area with one dark blue couch and two matching chairs, all facing inward toward the unconscious Kikiaro. Her body was covered in a thin blanket with a small mattress underneath her. Zokon overlooked her on one of the chairs with one leg drawn up to support his tired face. Worry lined his eyes above the tiredness as he watched in almost a fear ridden way.

Hiei easily took the lead and stopped beside the boy while Kurama went right to the girl, leaving his shoes and bag by the door. "How long has she been like this?" he asked right away as he assessed the situation. Neither one answered until Hiei nudged Zokon.

"Just this morning," The red haired boy answered. He didn't look much better than he had a few days ago, but he looked a little better now that the grim had been scrubbed from his skin and his hair had been cleaned. It hung on each side of his face, touching his shoulders. If his face wasn't so hollow and sleep depriven, he probably could have passed as a young girl with his heart shaped face.

Kurama nodded his head and started removing the badly placed bandages. Before completely revealing the blackened skin underneath, he thought better of it. "I don't think you want to see this," He told Zokon. The boy thought through it before nodding his head. He clumsily got up and disappeared into the bedroom.

"I'll watch him," Hiei said quickly and followed the boy. Kurama watched the two leave and then revealed the wound. The evidence was shocking, but not as much to him. The wounds were blacker but there didn't seem to be any flesh was missing. The flesh around the wound was already dead he knew. Unless he could bring the flesh back to life or take it away entirely, the flesh would continue to decay until Kikiaro was dead. Reluctantly, Kurama pulled out two grain sized sees. He planted them in her flesh and waited. The plants fed on anything dead. It was a peaceful one whose juices were used to heal wounds. Before he started to make the plant grow faster, he went to the kitchen to look for things to hold the juices that the plant would yield.

Once the death bringing bacteria was eaten by the plant, he could use the healing liquids to bring the flash back to life and force it to grow back to its original shape in no time. He didn't doubt that it wouldn't work; he doubted that it would be worth it. What could Kikiaro actually give him in return the Yoko side of him wondered? He would see.


	7. The Tournment

Smells of cooking meat, rice, and noodles wavered out the open windows of the apartment, stopping many people on the street for a few seconds if not more. Kikiaro stood at the stove in that same apartment, cooking a series of things at once while tea was brewing in a black ceramic pot in the counter with three plates scattered around it. From an outsider, the occupants appeared tense as two boys sat at the table, unmoving and unspeaking with one hunched over and looking sickly while the other looked disapproving and evil, and the bandaged girl cooking with her back promptly turned toward them. To the actual three though, it was happy day with many mental conversations involving past friends and events that Zokon barely remembered from his childhood. Kikiaro had insisted that there be no spoken conversation when the windows were open and the boys promptly agreed as they watched many of the other building's occupants coming and going past the windows.

Zokon struggled with the conversation most of the time, since he never developed his telepathic abilities like young wolves were supposed to, but he was able to understand the general gist of it if not participate during the times he actually remembered the person or time in question.

The sky outside was clear for the first time in the past few days, but there was a bite to the air that hinted that fall was on its way. The boys both wore long clothing and were unaffected by the cold, but Kikiaro wore long pants and had only her bandages covering her torso. Still, she didn't look cold in the heat of the kitchen.

**Kikiaro**

"_Leare contacted me yesterday," _Hiei sent me, suddenly breaking us from our remise about our childhood brawls out in the forest. I almost froze at hearing her name, but I still continued to cook. Leare has always been a good friend to me and has been fighting with me since my first time at the Rinsho Tournament. Even now, she was a trusted friend that I tried to keep in contact with, even though I knew it was dangerous. I couldn't fight in tournaments very much anymore, I still loved watching them and she loved to talk about them and invite me as an honored guest to any she was participating in.

"_Why?" _I send seriously. She was my friend, but she never approached Hiei unless it was important. There was a good chance I should be worried, but I only felt tense. It was strange that she didn't try to see me. Sure, Kurama was here most of the time tending to my wound, but he's been gone since last night and she could have easily have come to seen me. Or she could have sent a note along with Hiei like she usually did on the few times she sought him out.

"_She wanted to see if you were going to come to the Rinsho Tournament," _He stated. I turned to my previous confusion. I always came to the tournaments without fail. I picked up one of the pans and separated the pan fried noodles onto the three plates. I tried to stall the conversation with my thoughts, but it wasn't working. I put the empty pan in the sink and then separated the rice and meat.

"_Why did she want to know that?" _I wondered hopefully.

"_She said she heard a rumor that you were going to enter again," _He said, knowing I wasn't actually going to do that. I picked up two plates and brought them over to the table. I set them down in front of the boys and paused for a moment while I thought.

"_I'm not. I gave up tournaments a long time ago," _I said sadly. He nodded his head before I turned back to get my plate and pour the tea. He had always respected my decision to lie low, but we both itched to get back into the fight or go home. Whichever was possible.

"_I told her that. There's something strange about this…" _He said as I thought. I poured the tea into my matching black tea cups and brought two to the table for the boys.

"_I agree, something's off about this," _I said and went back for my stuff. I had just sat down when Hiei told me the most horrible news of the day.

"_The spirit helpers are coming," _He stated to us. My hand froze as it was reaching for my chopsticks and I felt just a little bit annoyed. Why did they have to come here? I roughly pushed myself up and stomped to each of the windows and slammed them shut. I had started calling Yusuke and his little group of helpers the "Spirit Helpers" since I didn't know how else to address all of them at the same time.

"Do you know anything about why?" I asked out loud before collapsing back into my seat. Hiei looked at me, but didn't say anything for a while.

"I don't know," He answered. I took up my chopsticks and started to stuff food in my mouth out of anger. I barely tasted it. Zokon was completely bone white and stated at his plate. Hiei and I were calm I knew, but Zokon never was. All of them unnerved him. I got angrier. Zokon was just starting to eat again and now these people were going to scare him out of his lunch again like whenever Kurama was over. Hiei told me my brother was ashamed of the anger he had against me during our time apart. I couldn't blame him, but I also couldn't allow it. I needed to have a talk with him, but when Hiei wasn't here. I loved him, but this was purely a family matter that didn't involve him in any way.

I hoped they hadn't figured out that I still had the knife. Hiei had hidden it between the mattress and our bed frame, and I kept the door and window locked constantly now. Without it though, I felt defenseless even though I still had my wolf claws to rely on in case anything happened. My constricting wounds were a little annoying though, but I would live. I huffed to myself and got up again to put my empty plate in the sink. Hiei was slowly eating and Zokon hadn't even moved to touch his food.

"Zokon, eat," I commanded and started washing the pans. From the corner of my eye, I watched Zokon slowly pick up his chopsticks and started to eat. I quickly cleaned up and then sat back down in my seat. A few minutes later, after Hiei had finished eating, there was a series of knocks at the door as well as Yusuke's loud yelling. I squeezed my eyes shut and wondered how he became a spirit detective in the first place. Hiei put his plate in the sink and answered the door for me while I tried to prepare my mind.

"Oh, Hiei what are you doing here?" Yusuke asked in a normal voice since the first time he entered the building and stopped yelling.

"What's it matter?" He asked and turned around. He came back to his seat across from me, and I sent him a small message.

"_I'm going to hate this," _I sent and turned my head to face the group. Kurama was dressed in his school clothes and had a stack of books and papers in his arms.

"I brought your work for you," He said and set it on one of the counter tops.

"Thanks," I said unenthusiastically, "I have a feeling that's not why you're here though." I knew it wasn't. Why else would all of them be here? Bringing a single stack of books did not take five people last time I checked.

"Very true," He responded.

"So this is your place? It's nice," Yusuke said as he walked around. Hiei's eyes followed him I saw. In turn, I watched Kurama and Boton. They didn't go exploring like Yusuke, but came and sat down at the table. Why was she here though? I could understand Yusuke wanting to see my place since he was a curious human, but she wouldn't be that way. Spirit world folk always had some type of motive for going where they were defiantly not wanted.

"Thank you. Take a seat, and then tell me why you're here," I said to Yusuke and gestured to the rest of the empty table. Kurama had taken the other head and Yusuke took the seat next to Hiei. That left Boton next to me. I really didn't like her, but I could civil as long as they respected me and my brother. Hiei could take care of himself. Kurama put a briefcase on the table and opened it. Inside was a computer screen I noticed.

"Master Koema has to speak to you," Boton stated happily. I glared at her and then looked at the computer. Kurama turned it toward me and I saw the soft baby face of Koema. I knew better than to think little of him, since I knew his father kills anyone who disrespects his family.

"What do you want?" I asked annoyed. Still, I had no respect for him. It was enough that I was going to listen rather than killing his agents.

"Nice to see you Kikiaro. I came to remind you that part of the deal for not arresting you was that you helped get the dagger back. Not only did you fail to do that, but you also let Black Bird have it," He stated. I almost rolled my eyes. "Despite that, I have come to ask for your help." I leaned forward with interest. Spirit world asking for help from a demon? This I needed to hear.

"What could you possibly want from me?" I asked seriously.

"Yesterday I received an invitation from the Black Order," He started. The Black Order was a group of humans who indulged in watching humans and demons kill each other in their Rinsho Tournament. It was an incredible tournament that never got boring or old. It was also an "invite only".

"What exactly did this invitation say?" I asked withholding my smile.

"It states that you are required to come this year along with four warriors of MY choice. I don't know why you were specified-" He started.

"Because I'm a regular," I interrupted. He looked down on me and I looked down on him also since the computer was on the table and that was a lot shorter than me.

"But I've decided that you will go with Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara who will make sure that your one request if you win is the location of the dagger," He stated. The others didn't look surprised which made it sound like they already knew. Hiei never looked surprised anyways, but he probably could guess that he was involved the moment he sensed them coming. The invitation defiantly didn't say he had to choose the warriors (since that defeated the purpose of their "free for all" fighting beliefs), but it did say I had to go. If I wanted, I could go to the tournament by myself, but I can't clear my name that way.

"If I help them through this tournament, will Spirit World leave me alone?" I asked.

"Yes," Koema hesitated. I nodded my head.

"I accept. Is that all?" I asked, thinking through every aspect that I might need to use or say here.

"Yes. It is-" He stated but I stopped him.

"I know where, who, and when. Now go," I stated. He frowned and the screen went black.

"Where is this tournament?" Yusuke asked looking sideways at me.

"The Rinsho Tournament has been going on since humans figured out how to sail ships. That was also around the time when the Black Order was created. They always run the tournament and handle every little detail that either makes themselves happy or their regular finalists," I said. Saying that last part, I realized that someone who's been in the top ten before wanted me to be there. That was either very good or very bad, but I knew one thing for sure; it wasn't anyone who was friend. "Where's Kuwabara?" I asked. There was a rough knock at the door. Boton jumped up and answered it. Kuwabara stumbled in and pulled his shoes off. I waited til he was seated off to the side before I continued.

"How is it set up?" Kurama asked.

"I'm getting there. The location is different every year, but the pick-up points are the same for each country. The where doesn't matter right now, so don't worry about it. The set-up though, is unlike the Dark Tournament you all participated in. Previous finalists and their groups are exempt from the preliminaries, but not from the secondaries. Those rounds are split into five sections for each five members. Most tournaments have a set amount of team mates, but not this one. You can enter by yourself or you can enter with a group up to five. As long as you aren't disqualified, you can switch teams as much as you want until the final twenty. The secondaries are a base of one on one battles in five different types of arenas," In finished and waited for questions. I went through each arena in my head and started thinking of line-ups. Kuwabara didn't say anything and probably already knew about his part in all this.

"What are the arenas?" Kurama asked, very interested in everything I was saying. The other two were completely quiet as was Boton.

"Desert, ocean, mountain, forest, and the plains. They are a mixture of demon and human places that change every year. The elements are always the same. Hiei would be best for the desert one since there is very little cover, but it's easy for the untrained opponents to lose their sight in the harsh light. I'll take the ocean since it is the most difficult and I'm used to it, Yusuke the mountains, Kurama the forest, and Kuwabara the plains," I quickly went through, "Any objections?"

"You seem to know what you're doing, so, no," Yusuke answered.

"I agree…How many times have you done this?" Kurama asked. I tried to count in my head.

"I've won twice and gotten into the finals every other time. I've lost count of how many actual times I've gone though," I stated.

"What happens after that?" Yusuke asked. He meant the secondaries I guess. Time to continue on.

"Then we go on to basic tournament battles. Veterans are given the least amounts of battles to fight, but it usually goes tournament style with a few exceptions," I responded.

"What do you get for winning?" Kuwabara asked. Okay, maybe he didn't understand what was going on. Not my problem.

"A wish. Only one for the whole group though," I responded. These were good questions, but still annoying to answer.

"So if we win, we will wish for the knife," Kuwabara muttered. Never mind, he obviously was informed about something earlier.

"Yes," I responded softly, "but that's only if. There are many tough demons that come, tougher than any of the kings that used to rule the demon plane." They all looked at me, confused and wondering. Apparently they didn't know about my S ranked friends. They will soon learn. "Meet me here in the morning. The boat leaves tomorrow night," I finished.


	8. The Suspicion

**Kikiaro**

What little of a group I had positioned themselves in a line so all of them could stare up at the black ship, barely visible in the moonless night. I would have sighed and rolled my eyes at their stupidity, but I still remembered how exciting and ominous the ship had looked the first time I had seen it. I knew better now though. This ship was freedom in its rawest form.

"We have to board. Now!" I said loudly as I watched the bright red flag of departure rise into the sky. It was a single that the ship would leave by the time it had reached the bottom of its currently slow decent. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara snapped out of the combined dazed to look and stare at me.

Hiei closed his eyes and almost smiled before turning away to mount the nearby platform that rose up to the tall cruise ship. I knew that smile, and I knew it meant he was leaving me to deal with these three. Zokon followed behind him for whatever reason. Either Hiei told him to, or he thought Hiei knew what he was doing even though I knew he didn't. Without the invitation or a tattoo, you wouldn't be allowed to board. I had both, though my tattoo was in a place I didn't want to reveal if I didn't have to. Hiei had never actually entered the tournament, but he had joined me on many occasions as protection. It wasn't uncommon or dishonorable for competitors to attack each other outside the ring. There was a good chance the people running it would ban or have you killed though once the tournament was done. Outside the ring, it was fight at your own risk.

I took off at a light jog, exercising my still sore muscles from all the days of sleeping on the floor. I had given Zokon my bed and Hiei often over-watched him, waking him when his dreams turned into his horrid memories after we had been separated. I've had dreams like his that never seem to go away. They were always bad memories it seemed.

I watched Hiei stop near the top and press himself back against the railing. We were the last to board I knew, and all because the boys had been star struck by the ship. Zokon followed his example and I easily breezed by the and up to the gigantic greyish demon that guarded the path. He was dressed in dark, business like clothes, but I knew he was trouble if you did something wrong. Without any words, I handed the heavy papered invitation. He took it in his hand and let it fall to his side without a glance at it.

"You are a regular. Proceed," He spoke in a gravelly voice before stepping aside. I stepped forward but then looked to him once more, remembering the rest of the procedure.

"I am here with four fighters under me as well as another as assistance," I told him. He crinkled the paper and thought about it for a moment.

"Proceed," He nodded and stepped back farther. I went off to the side and looked back to see the three boys walking slowly up the ramp.

"I'll go ahead," Hiei whispered in my ear and squeezed my hand for comfort before proceeding to the right where my permanent room was. Having a tattoo meant having a permanent room for your group. There were three ships that catered to around the world, and me and my fellow fighters always had two rooms between us to share (the one year I won with my group, and the other that Leare and me won with a two others). This time we only had mine since I couldn't fight with Leare for now. Zokon followed Hiei, staring around the ship as he went. This was all new to him too, but at least he wasn't acting like a gapping idiot.

I glanced around quickly while I waited for the other three. The ship looked as ageless as ever. All outside walls were painted black and not a light was visible at all. Any windows were blacked out with more paint and covered on the inside with blackout fabric. The wood floors beneath us looked as polished and primed as always. With demons off all sizes and shapes coming and going off this thing, it was amazing that there wasn't even a little scratched anywhere.

The boys finally made it off the ramp and strode past the demon. After they moved away, the demon closed and locked the door before pushing the ramp away. It was time to go already I saw. I turned and started heading to my room, knowing that those three were following from a decent distance from behind.

The worn door to our room was wide open. By the time we started moving, the door would have to be permanently closed until we reached Kane Island. For now, we could enjoy the little breeze that came through. I took a step onto the soft worn floor and glanced around.

Hiei and Zokon had attached their bags to the handle in-between the bunk bed closest to the door, and now they were sitting against the bed while they waited for us to join them. From what I could tell, Zokon was desperately trying to talk to Hiei mentally, and I knew it was Hiei who was making him do it. He was going to get a lot of practice during the few hours it would take to get to our destination. Kane Island was never far from Japan I knew. It was always the last stop for this boat, so our journey was shorter than most. Russia had always been first that was catered, and that had always been the worst. The boats always arrived on the same day though so it didn't matter where you were picked up from, unless you didn't like to travel like me.

I went over to one of the two hammocks and clipped my bag to the bottom before taking a seat next to my brother. The boys came in, slow and cautious. I didn't have time (well, technically I did), so I hoped they would hurry.

"Pick a place to sleep and put your bag somewhere near there," I said hurriedly. Yusuke picked the other hammock, Kurama the single bed, and Kuwabara got the huge mattress stuffed in the corner. I always had a lot of friends that were too big for any bed, but they were always happy to sleep on the floor.

"Yusuke, close the door," I told him. He did as I said without any words and then took a place against the wall. Kurama sat on his bed as did Kuwabara. The boat shifted and Yusuke stumbled forward. "Sit down," I told him and looked up at the light above. It never went out, which has always been a problem when I wanted to sleep. There was plenty to talk about before I wanted sleep though.

"That door stays closed until we dock at Kane Island. Are there any questions about anything that you didn't already ask?" I asked. It was more for the demonstrations of low intelligence that I kept seeing than anything else. I looked to Kurama. He wasn't stupid. He was a genius who could be cold and vicious if he wanted to be. Yet, he was choosing to be kind to these humans and actually be friends with them. This wasn't Yoko, defiantly not.

"_I have a question," _Hiei sent to me. I looked at him sideways, though it looked like I was looking to my brother who was staring next to me.

"_No you don't," _I responded and he gave me a sly smile. Just a small one though, one that could easily go unnoticed.

"You never fully explained what the arenas are like," Kurama put in. I looked to him and tried to think through what he meant.

"You mean for the secondaries?" I asked in conformation. He nodded his head. "Do you mean like tips for the terrain, because the arenas change every year. Only the basics are constant," I said.

"I think some tips would help us prepare," He nodded.

"Well, for the forest there are always trees. For most people, it can help and hurt you at the same time. If you need to hide, then it can help you very much, but if you're seeking an opponent, it's difficult. For you though, it will be easier than most because of your control over plants. There are other demons that use these types of tools, but they normally don't use them in the secondaries. Before you use your plants though, test your enemy and determine how hard the battle might be. If you don't have to use any of your demon plants, don't. Save them for when we really need them," I explained. He nodded his head, but I knew he had probably figured out a good chunk of that on his own.

"What about for me?" Yusuake asked.

"The mountains are tricky. Usually flying demons take them because the thinner air helps them fly better, but that's not always the case. Flat ground is usually not present, but if there is then take it. Every year the mountains are slick and steep and it doesn't help you if you go rolling down the mountainside. You're an easy target them and could easily get yourself killed that way. Keep your foothold and fight. You are allowed to chop off mountain tips for flat ground it you want, but make sure you won't regret it later," I told him. There weren't as many tips for that one, but it was enough to get him by.

"And me?" Kuwabara asked gleefully.

"The plains are the easiest of all of them. Usually there's tall grass, so just hide in there if you need to. There's a good chance there won't be any trees or rocks, so you won't be able to use your surroundings much," I finished quickly. The plains were the easiest of everything. Why you would need help on that is beyond me. It's just how it sounds; tall grass and no trees or big rocks.

"_I was serious though about my question. There is something wrong with this situation, do you know what?" _Hiei communicated. I thought about it. I had no clue actually. Leare and the others had respected my decision to lie low until my name was cleared, so it had to be someone else from the past who invited me. Who else knew I existed though? Tournaments have been a big no-no since my clan was abolished, and I only contacted the people I absolutely trusted from my past.

"What's this Kane Island like?" Yusuke asked.

"It's made of hard stone mostly. The arenas are carved out of the solid stone as are the stands," I said and then I realized that I never explained how the tournament battles went. "Remember, this isn't like any other tournament you've ever done. Here, it's you die or someone decides there's been enough. Depending on the set-ups between teams, you may be fighting by yourself or with one or two of us. Sometimes captains will pick who fights who, and fighters can join in a say who they want to fight. You WILL be dropped in a foxhole to fight and there's a good possibility that only one will come out," I said. I had told them about the foxhole before we got here, but they probably hadn't understood it at first.

"Who decides when there's been enough," Yusuke asked.

"One of the compactors, the ref, or one of the Black Order. All depends on how the fight's going and how interesting or gorey it is. This isn't a bloodbath remember. This is proper tournament that all types of creatures come to see, many of them past fighters," I said.

"How is a matched stopped?" Kurama asked.

"Well, the ref rarely steps in to call a fight, even if the other fighter is knocked out. It's up to them what to do, but usually the competitor will just say they're done and the ref will call it. If the fighter doesn't call it and doesn't keep the fight interesting, then The Black Order will say it's over so they can move on to something more exciting. Remember, keep the fight exciting. If you turn out to appear to be a boring fighter, then they'll call the match with you as the loser, despite what shape your opponent is in," I explained. A lot of elements go into this tournament, but the most useful one is if you're a regular that always has a new trick like me and my little group.

"_I don't know what's going on exactly, but I'm going to talk to Leare when I find her," _I sent to Hiei.

"That's awful," Kuwabara mumbled.

"Prepare yourself mentally to die or to be shamed. I have no doubt that many of us are going to shamed here," I announced and all of them looked at me.

"Why would you say that?" Kurama asked. I stared at him.

"Someone invited me to this place for some reason, and I know it isn't for a friendly sparing match," I said seriously. That was very true. This person might want to kill me or something, but I had no way to be sure yet. Leare will know, she knows everything. If she doesn't, she can always find out. The rumor she heard was a good place to start.

"Who?" Kuwabara asked.

"I don't know yet," I answered and everyone got silent. All of us kept to our own thoughts, realizing that this wasn't just for fun. Not only were our lives on the line, but most importantly our pride.


	9. A Rumor

It took the entire night to travel to the island, but the group slept through most of it. By the end, Kikiaro wasn't the only one who cursed the stupid light in the middle of the room. She may have been the only one to fully sleep though, along with Hiei since he too was used to it.

As the boat approached the island, the doors were opened by the demon escorts and everyone was told to be ready to depart from the ship immediately after it was docked. Kiki was the first one out of the room with bag in hand. Hiei was second, right behind her as she dodged other fighters on the ship to get to a place where no one would see them. Zokon and Kurama were busy getting the other two up to notice the two slip out, but Zokon could guess what was going on once he noticed his beloved sister was gone. It made him smile as he slung his bag over his shoulders and looked to Sasharo's new "Clawve" team.

**Kikiaro**

"I always like the sunrise," I said softly as I leaned over the railing. The waves broke against the hull of the ship, spraying my face with a few droplets of salt water. I licked my lips and smiled. I always like the salt of the ocean; it reminds me of home. We used to have rocks that grew along the walls and glowed with a calming yellow, like firelight. They dripped salty water onto the ground and into our food all the time.

"It makes you feel like you're home again," Hiei stated and put his hand over mine. I nodded my head and smiled. He remembered the stories. They were always just stories for him though since he never actually saw the caves. Father never would allow him to come that far into the homelands. Yoko saw them many times though. It was because he was a Fox demon, one of nature like us.

I could see the stone island now and watched as a line of fighters was, already departed from their own black ship, climbing the steep slope up to flat ground. Rocks spiked up around the ends, blocking my view of the secondary lines as always. The whole island was hollowed out and carved from a mountain it always seemed. Maybe it was for all we know. I could see the rocky buildings towering above everything and smiled. That's where the rooms we won were. I hope I still get my old room. If not, Leare will give it to me since it's under her name too. I don't know how I'm going to do this without revealing my true name, but the tattoo should be enough to get me through the doors I guess.

"This is home," I told him, believing my own words only halfway. The caves and forest that I grew up in were my true home, but they're all gone now. Yomi made sure they were all destroyed when he took over that land. This was a place I could fight though. I never had to worry about status and could talk to anyone I wanted without fearing negative consequences. This was home right now, for now at least. When this is all over though, I'm going to wish for a private island in the human world where I could live with Zokon, Hiei, and anyone else that I can call friend. The demon world may never be home for me again after all that's happened.

"For now," He responded. I smiled and slowly stood up straight. The island was getting closer and closer. He took my hand fully and leaned his head against mine. "Whoever called you back will pay if they hurt you," He said softly. I closed my eyes and pressed my head against his. His words were comforting. I only hope I have more friends here than Hiei though. This person/persons could be more dangerous than we can guess.

"Whoever it is won't get a chance. I'm going to kill them with the first strike," I responded and my eyes shot open. His opened a second later. We broke apart then and I quickly went back to leaning over the railing as we heard the boys turn the corner.

"There you two are. We've been looking for you," Kurama stated. His voice was the opposite of Yoko's. I knew he had Yoko's coldness in his somewhere. I may have to enlist his help. We'll see.

"You take too long to get up," I said, not bothering to turn around. Zokon joins me at the rail, pressing his shoulder against mine. All these powerful fighters on deck must scare him a little. He's been to the tournaments before, but he's never actually seen me fight for fun. Seeing me fight for fun can be scary in itself I learned.

"If you had let me break that stupid light then-" Kuwabara complained. I rolled my eyes. Humans complain too much.

"Be quiet already," Hiei said to him sharply.

"That's the island?" Yusuke question as he took a place next to Zokon. I stood up, pulling Zokon with me. Kuwabara and Hiei are arguing now. I'm not listening, but I know it's there.

"Yes. It's an island made completely of stone. There is some grass and trees on the other side of the arenas, but it is mostly all stone," I told him.

"You said yesterday that we're here because someone summoned you. We came here to win and find the dagger we lost to Black Bird." Kurama said. I didn't show shock or try to care.

"You four are here to get back the dagger, that's your job. I'm here to find out who's trying to get back at me…and also to make sure you four can get to the arena," I said sternly and turned to face him. He was examining me carefully. He was catching on that I wasn't telling the whole truth and that some of what I'm saying might be lies. As long as the other two idiots don't catch on, I don't care. I only want/need Yoko on my side, the others don't matter. As long as they're on Spirit World's side, I want nothing to do with them.

I glanced over and saw we were about to dock. I quickly grabbed the railing with one hand and Zokon's shirt with the other. A second later, the boat smashed sideways against the rocks before rumbling to a stop near the wooden dock. I stayed on my feet and held Zokon up as he jerked around, almost falling to his knees. I almost laughed as Yusuke almost went overboard from his position leaning over the railing. Kurama just barely grabbed the rail in time to stay upright just like Hiei who was now looking down at Kuwabara. He was the only one on the boat who had crashed to the ground. I kept my laughter to myself. These were the silliest fighters I've ever seen.

"Let's go," I said as the boat steadied and strode to the ramp that was being set up now. Zokon stumbled behind me as I pulled him forward and Hiei caught up to walk next to me as we dodged fighters and demons alike. The lines for the secondaries are long enough, I don't want to be near the end. The other three were trying to rush up to us, but were failing.

Unlike the ship's deck, the ramp here was splintered and worn through the years as well as crowded at this time. Every demon on the ship was currently rushing to get onto land and into the secondaries just like we were trying to do. Everyone always wanted to finish their battle as fast as they could so they could train, explore, or go to their rooms. I personally wanted to track down potential allies and catch up what was going on.

A demon twice my size shoved against me, unbalancing me. I knocked into Zokon and he went crashing to the floor. Hiei steadied me before going to help my brother up before he was trampled. I glared at the demon with anger. A little of Sasharo's sharp energy trickled through the barrier and the demons around me froze or paused for a few seconds. I glared at all who looked my way and every single one of them pressed as far away from me as possible.

I grabbed my brother's hand and walked forward. As I touched the ramp with my foot, I sealed the energy way for good and kept walking. The demons still kept their distance though. My anger was always my breaking point, and it might be my destruction. As the last of energy faded, I caught some of the whispers, and none of them were good.

"_Someone spread a rumor that the great Sasharo was coming back here. That's why most of these fighters are here. We both knew this was a trap, but we didn't think your secret would be revealed as advertising," _Hiei sent me. I kept my face like stone, letting my hand grip my brother's. I did know this was a trap, but Zokon may be in danger if my secret is revealed. I don't know how, but someone could use him to get something they want from me. I don't know what they could ask for though.

"_I will not run," _I told him stubbornly. Wolves don't run, they fight and die a noble death if they have to.

"_I didn't think you would," _Hiei sent me. I could almost feel his smile. It almost made me smile though this dark realization. My feet smacked off the ramp and onto the cold stone stone. I took the lead of the crowd with my group right behind me as I climbed the rocky hill into the island.

"What's up with them?" Yusuke asked everyone in a low voice. The other's came and formed a half-circle behind me. Let's see what Yoko says now.

"_Sasha…what's going on? You are hurting my hand," _Zokon sent me choppily. I almost winced at the bluntness of the speech. He would get there eventually where it wouldn't be so strong it would hurt my head, I only wish that time would come sooner.

"There are two types of people that rule this tournament: the veterans and then everyone else," Was all I said to him. Any demon that's been here for a while knows my energy and knows the fear it carries. Even a newcomer who heard that rumor can guess who I might be. Just a drop of Sasharo's energy was always enough to send any small demon running. It was addictively powerful, and that's why Leare helped me put the barrier up.

"_Zokon, promise me right now that if I tell you to do something that you will do it without question. Even if I tell you to run and leave me dying on a battle field, you will do it. Promise me now," _I sent him strongly. He was my only worry here, right now at least. Hiei can take care of himself and I have my own hidden power to rely on if things get really bad. Zokon's still recovering and is probably just as bad of a fighter as before. He hates fighting and violence. He has to learn though.

"If they're scared of you, then this tournament will be a piece of cake," Kuwabara said and laughed. I frowned and glared backwards at him.

"Why do you say that?" I asked him dangerously. I may have locked my strength away, but I'm still strong enough to kick his head in completely.

"Come on, you almost died from a sword cut," He said with a goofy smile. I shook my head and looked forward. I almost died from a powerful curse that is very hard to dispel without being in the demon world and even harder to fix once the flesh is severely decayed.

"_I…promise Sasha. What do….you think will….happen?" _Zokon sent. It was a lot less brash but very hard to pick up. All the words seemed to have gotten to me though in the end. That's the important part for now.

"Kuwabara, the sword that cut her originally contained a powerful demon curse that rots the flesh around the cut. Even if the curse is broken, the body continues to rot at a slower pace," Kurama slowly explained to Kuwabara.

"Oh…" The human remarked and shut up. I hope he stays that way now.

"_This place is a trap for me. For Sasharo. They may go after you and I don't want you hurt. I only just got you back, I can't lose you again," _I sent both Hiei and Zokon. Hiei nodded his head to me and took over the conversation.

We reached the top and I paused. As always, there were five distinct lines. Up ahead was the stone fort that blocked the entire walkway. The lines lead to doorways, the doorways to square rooms with proctors and also portals to the arenas. There was also another doorway to the outside for the final registration at a stone table with demons. I pointed to each doorway and directed my team to their own lines (Zokon I sent with Kuwabara since he would have to fight too I forgot. I secretly handed him the dagger before I sent him off. I had painted it black in case the others glimpsed it, but it would still work. He was happy and nodded his head with thanks).

The lines weren't long, mine especially went fast. The Plains always had the most people and the longest battle. As I watched though, I saw people drift away to shorter lines. Most of them I recognized as veterans from previous years. This year should be very interesting. I haven't seen any allies yet though. Where is Leare?

**Hiei**

This line is boring. It's shorter than the one for the plains, but the battles take just as long it seems. I kept an eye on Zokon and Sasha as well as looked for Leare. Sasha was doing the same I could tell. She was also scooping out the competition. I recognized a few people from previous years, but I don't remember much about them because they were so weak.

"_My sister….has a plan then?" _Zokon sent. I almost winced. He seems to go from too strong to too weak. He needs to find the middle before I lose my patience.

"_Too much energy. You need to find the middle, not the greatest or the smallest. Yes. The first part is to find Yomi and clear her name. If we win here, she hopes to wish for his location as the prize. She hasn't realized that to do that she needs to convince these others to agree with her somehow," _I sent. Sasha never thought things through, just like a certain someone else I know. She's only running on hope I know. If she stays in that form for another year she won't be able to get out of there. She'll die in that body and her energy will be lost to the human.

Sasharo made a deal with a human with spirit energy. This girl hated life and was bored. Sasharo offered to make it interesting and show her a world this girl has only glimpsed. The girl agreed and the bargain was made. Until the girl was eighteen, Sasharo would live in her body and live her life in order to survive. The girl was almost seventeen. Only one year left to find Yomi and clear her name.

"_I understand," _Zokon sent. That time was perfect. I was just about to tell him that, but I found her; Leare. She was in the forest line next to mine, farther ahead. She was so close to the entrance that she was next in line to fight. Her dark head was turned to talk to her brute of a brother in my own line. He was hunched over so that's why I couldn't find him.

"Leare," I called loudly. Through all the talking, she heard me, I could tell. She paused her speech, cocked her head to the side, and then looked at me sideways. Her skin was an ash color but her cheeks were glow with a silver color from the sun. Her eyes are mostly all white with small pupils that are a coal color. When she's mad they grow to fill her entire eyes, making her look like a demon from the humans horror stories. Her hair is black with white streaks in it and her clothes looked more like pieces of cloth that she cut and put over herself. They always looked that way, but that's her way of making art.

Her brother, Yammy, was several feet taller than her with the same color of skin and eyes. His hair was all black though and chopped very short. Muscles bulged all over his body and his head was about the length of my sword. He was powerful but also gentle. For him and his sister, there's nothing wrong with being gentle and strong at the same time. He was twice my height but was hunched over most of the time.

"Is she here?" She called loudly through the crowd. Her brother straightened up to his full height and looked down to me. I nodded my head and smiled just a little. With them here, Sasha can't lose. If they win, they will no doubt hand over their wish to her. That was allowed here as long as it's interesting enough to the order. Finding the former demon world king in order to kill him for revenge is defiantly interesting enough.

"She is," Yammy boomed happily. The world went silent and everyone looked at the man. Damn it Yammy….

"_Shut him up," _Sasha sent me hurriedly.

"_Yammy, Sasha wants you to be quiet. We'll talk when we pass our fights," _I sent him. Sasha always had a fear that she could be traced mentally if she sent messages directly. Yammy and his sister were expert trackers in all forms, especially mental. They were friends, but even friends can accidently betray. We don't know that anyone else here is a friend.

Yammy crouched back down and both him and his sister moved forward through the large doorways. Yammy was fighting right now too. My mind distracted itself once more with watching Sasha. She was soon gone too though, and then it was just me and Zokon.

**Sasharo**

I was dropped through the air, the ocean rapidly approaching. I surged my energy around me and let myself float in calmly in the air. This was a trick I leaned a long time ago from Leare. I usually just used my knife though. It's a good thing I know this or I would have been in some deep shit.

I stopped just above the waves, floating nicely. My opponent crashed into the water and disappeared underneath. I rose higher and then floated close by. This demon was amphibious I saw before. He wasn't going to be able to get me if I stayed in the air, but I wasn't going to get him if he didn't come up at some point. The demon lunged up. I dodged quickly and then swopped in with a kick to his face. His hands were webbed and his body was a bright red. He was one of this fishy demons actually….fun…..

He smashed into the water and lingered just below it. I hovered close to the water, knowing this was the only way to get him to come out. My energy will run out long before he gets bored enough to try randomly shooting up in the air at me. This is his domain, not mine.

He came up once more and I caught his hand with one of my own. I leaked some of Sasharo's energy through, sending it shooting down my other arm. My arm forged smaller and my nails grew into triangles. In one lethal move, I swiped my arm across and sliced his throat open. His blood splattered across my arm, stained my long sleeved black shirt. I was still in human clothes, but they worked for these stupid little fights. I had real fighting clothes in my bag.

His body slumped in my hand but I still help him up. They would want his body back and it would be faster just to throw it in the portal and go in after it. A second later, the black portal opened below me. I dropped the body first and then let myself fall through. I hate the sensation of falling.

The portals always felt like you were falling but ten times more intense. It always made my head hurt a little as well as my heart. Wolves like the ground, I especially like being underground. Hiei says the portals make him feel weak for a few minutes. Everyone has their own reaction to it; ours are just minimal compared to most. Well, mines more severe than most. Leare and Yammy say they're never affected, but they use portals like these to travel all the time so they're used to it by now.

I flew up into the stone room and landed on my feet before the dark clothes spectator. "You are the victor, please proceed and register with your team," The thing said in a gravelly voice. I breathed hard and used the wall to steady myself. My heart was blocking out every sound and my whole body felt like shaking. I really hate falling. This thing wasn't a living creature so I didn't care how it saw me. Its flesh was grown to say and do whatever its masters have programs it to do. It never needs food, water, sleep, or gets bored. The perfect lowly servant.

My breathing calmed and I stepped over the body of the demon. I took my bag from its place by the door and stepped out the victors' door. I heard the body be thrown back through the portal. The demon is shark food now I guess. I should have guessed he was a newcomer. Only veterans get proper burials here.

I immediately searched for Leare and Yammy now. This place was packed with waiting demons. Before you could move on, you needed to have your full group. If someone was eliminated, their bodies were shown on a TV screen before each exit so teams weren't waiting forever.

I saw Yammy by the carved paths on the other side. This island is like a maze with its paths, but only the stupid get lost. In front was a desk with a group of black order members surrounded by their demon body guards.

I looked around for any of my group before running to them. I can't risk being seen before talking to them in private. I reached them and we retreated around the nearest bend to get away from most of the noise. Both of them look completely unchanged, just like always. I'm the only one who's changed it seemed.

"Sas," Leare greeted with a small smile. I scowled at her. "Tell us the story," She said quickly. Yammy nodded in agreement. He too smiled. I could see their small, needle like teeth through their smiles.

"I found my brother in the hands of Black Bird. Before I could rescue him, Spirit World found me, as Kikiaro the thief, and decided that they wanted my dagger back. I've tricked them into helping me save Zokon and into thinking that Black Bird has it and that's what brought them here. They believe I am Kikiaro here, no one else," I told them quickly.

"Where did the rumor of Sasharo coming back come from then?" Leare asked with a twisted frown. I let out a long breath. I was really hoping she had something on this.

"Someone sent an invitation for me to spirit world. If I came here and helped get the dagger, they'll leave me alone," I told her somberly.

"That's what you want though. I assume you have the dagger though, so what will you do if you win?" Leare asked. Yammy was always quiet when we talked. He was more of a listener and protecter than a leader or interferer. I was hoping Leare would help me out with this.

"My plan was to use the wish to find Yomi, but I realize that three members of my fighting group won't agree with it without a very good reason," I said and thought about it.

"Convince them Yomi has the dagger," Yammy injected. I stared up at him, intrigued.

"How?" I asked. To convince Yoko of anything it had to be very convincing. If Yoko and Hiei believed though, so would the other two I bet. Leare smiled to her brother.

"Kaion can camouflage himself as a common demon and spread the story that he was freed from Black Bird's new cells in Korea by Yomi. Yomi himself was testing the power of a "golden dagger" on the prisoners as they were running to freedom and he escaped before it he was spotted. If we spread it, your team will hear it all around the arena. If its strong enough, it will be broadcasted in the morning news and stated as a known fact. Black Bird will be innocent and Spirit World will have to go after Yomi. Finding him for you," Leare said. Yammy smiled in agreement. I stared at them both.

"K-Kaion?" I asked for reassurance with wide eyes. Kaion was a member of my wolf pack who was thought to be dead. He was an expert at masking his identify and was one of the best fighters within my clan. He was thought to perish in the demon world in the original fight against Yomi and his army.

"He was captured and then released when Yomi was thrown out of his palace. He's our reserve this year," Leare said softly with a very small smile at my reaction. This was the first I was hearing about it and I was offended. He was one of blood. I should have been told right away.

"Have him do that then," I said with a touch of annoyance. Leare smiled her twisted smile though. Her smile was always twisted, just like her brother's.

"I need to get to Yomi first before Spirit World to clear my name," I reminded her.

"When the time comes, we'll handle stalling them," Leare promised, "Anything to get the old you back." Yammy nodded his head in agreement. I do miss being Sasharo and fighting with Leare at my back. I really miss it actually.

"HEY KIKI!" A yell came. It was Yusuke.

"_Why is that idiot yelling?" _I sent Hiei. He finished his fight a minute or two ago I bet. Yusuke must have finished soon after.

"_Everyone is done. Did you find Leare?" _He sent. I was amazed. Everyone was done with their fighting? That shouldn't be right.

"_Yes, hold on," _I sent back.

"They're looking for you I see," Leare remarked. I sent her a nasty look. I don't want to be reminded of those people.

"Who else do you have with you this year?" I asked.

"Sisava and her son Avin, and Travoz," Yammy named off. I cocked my head to the side. So many questions, such annoyingly little time.

"Sisava has a son?" I asked. Sisava was one of the rare snake demons that were left. The woman and men remained on their own and spent their lives looking for a mate. Sisava must have found a man, had her son, and then killed her man. That was the way her race worked I knew, deadly and sickening. One day, her son will kill her and absorb her power. That was if she didn't kill him first and took his power. Her race was strange, but understandable.

"Yes. He is a few years old now, but still young. He's training now and we're helping," Leare stated. I nodded my head. Fighters were fighters. Before either tried to kill the other, the boy had to be strong.

"If I remember correctly, you didn't like Travoz because she scared your belly," I mentioned and turned to the side to avoid the worsts of her burning gaze. She never liked when I mentioned that incident. Her perfectly smooth belly was not slightly scared with a raised pink line in the shape of a half moon.

"We've solved our differences and moved on," She said. I looked to her and saw her smile. I almost shook my head.

"How?" I asked. Leare has held grudges for years over the smallest of scars or injures. She probably still has one against me for some unknown reason.

"She showed me how to use those deadly disks of hers," She said slyly. I smiled. Leare was always very interested in learning new skills.

"KIKI!" Two voices shouted now. I closed my eyes and swore in my heard. It was the human and Yusuke now.

"_Shut them up already," _I sent Hiei.

"We should get back," Leare said and smiled. She wasn't going to say it, but she thought it was cute that two humans were looking for me. A half-demon and a human that is. I nodded my head slowly in agreement because I don't argue with Leare. I started walking away and Leare took her pace beside me. Yammy lumbered behind us, the ground shaking slightly under his weight. I heard exclamations from my team on finding me and I tried to block them out.

"Why you hiding?" Yusuke asked with his arms folded in the middle of the area. Zokon adverted his eyes and suddenly looked like the little boy I remembered him as. I wondered what was making him act this way now.

"I wasn't," I responded and watched Leare take a great many steps forward in front of me. She looked like a towering tree compared to the rest of the boys. Tall like Yammy but much more lethal and flexible. Yammy was twice my height though and Leare was maybe two feet over me. She was still really tall.

"Zokon?" Leare questioned. I could imagine her bright eyes trying to bore into his brain as she leaned over to be at his short height. Oh, that's why he's acting like a little boy.

"Who's she?" Kuwabara questioned and pointed. I watched that finger, waiting for Leare to hopefully bite it off. She doesn't like to be pointed at.

"Yes," Zokon answered in an embarrassed voice.

"You got so big. You're almost as tall as your sister," She said. I could just picture her twisted smile at the mention of height. I squeezed my eyes and almost wanted to hit her. I'm not that short. She turned and looked at Hiei, still hunched over. This should be good. It always is at least.

"And you've barely grown Hiei," She said with a smile. I stifled my laughter and hid my face. I could feel his eyes burning into me now. I can't help laughing when she makes fun of his height.

"Neither have you Leare," He responded with annoyance and stared at her.

"Who's your friend Hiei?" Yusuke asked and bent over to be eye level with Hiei. This too funny. Maybe being with these wanna-be fighters wouldn't be so bad for now.

"_I _am Leare," She said sternly and stood up to her full height. She was easily the tallest woman around, human, demon, or otherwise, "And I could kill you with one blow if I wanted to half-demon." Yusuke slowly stood up and held a new respect for the woman by shutting up. The human wasn't pointing anymore, damn.

"_We have a plan. Ask Leare to explain it to you and see if you agree," _I sent Hiei. I felt really tired now that my energy use was catching up with me. Messing with Sasha's power and only letting it through in small bursts was worse than letting it burst through my barriers completely.

"But who-" Kuwabara started and stopped. He stared at Kuarma with wide eyes and horror filled face.

"We are alliesssss and friendssss," Sisava hissed from behind Kurama. She curved her green scaled arms around him and stared at me with her slit eyes. I smiled. Kurama strained a smile and looked back at the woman. He's never met Sisava, but the snake demons were known to be harmless unless provoked.

"Sisava, it's nice to see you again," I greeted with a smile. She turned the corners of her shiny green lips up just a little. That was the closest she ever got to a smile.

"Is everyone here?" Leare asked her.

"We wait for Avin," Sisava responded.

"Kiki, could you please tell us what's going on?" Kurama asked.

"I have allies here and they will help us to our goal in any way they can. Leare and her brother Yammy," I stated and gestured to Yammy who was silent, "are friends, just as Sisava and the others."

Sisava uncurled herself from Kurama and slithered herself toward Yammy. A woman's top half and snakes lower half. The most intoxicating demon humans say. Also, the most deadly with their poisonous fangs.

"Don't stare. She's a snake demon and they're very sensitive about their looks," Kurama said to Kuwabara and Yusuke.

"We should go register now. Leare, come over tonight and we'll finish talking," I said to her and nodded a goodbye. She nodded back with slanted eyes as I turned and started walking away. I don't need those two insulting Leare or Sisava right now. Sisava was more sensitive about how people saw her than anything else. Leare didn't like to be looked at with anything but respect, awe, or friendship. Kuwabara would do none of those. I don't think I can afford to lose anyone right now.

The group followed, all of them making comments and such to the three strangers. I wasn't listening to any of them, but I was hoping that Leare or Sisava couldn't hear them. My body was starting to drag down now. I forgot how tiring it is to control Sasha's energy. How destructive and sharp it is.

"Sas, take the third room. Quersa took yours," Leare shouted. I stopped and glared back. Why does that spider woman have MY room? She wasn't even on our team that time that we won!

"You better tell me why later," I said dangerously and still headed to the registration table. My day was just going to get worse, I can feel it now that I know Quersa is here.


	10. What Leare Did

"Do you have a mark?" One of the younger men at the desk asked them all, his gaze resting on each and every one of them. There were always two Black Order members assigned here with their bodyguard demons. The oldest member is always required to greet the veterans, and the youngest must always sit and meet the new. Kiki stepped up to the front of her group, standing tall and proud as she pulled off her shirt. Kurama immediately closed his eyes, while Kuwabara looked away with a read face. Hiei and Yusuke looked on though as turned around, holding her hair to the left.

On the back of her right shoulder was an elaborate mark that looked as if it had been scorched into her skin. It was a shadowed "S" encased in a thick diamond shape: the ultimate symbol of the Black order. The mark of possession the demons never realized. Surrounding the "S" were thrones and gracefully done leaves. It was elegant, beautiful. There was no mistake that this was the legendary Sasharo.

The older man stared at the mark for a long time before waving her away. Kiki pulled back on her shirt, letting the boys reopen their closed eyes and push away their blushing. Hiei smiled and laughed under his breath at this. Kiki hadn't even been completely naked under her shirt and they were embarrassed by that? It made him laugh.

Kiki faced the two and waited for something to happen. The older man was whispering to the younger one, shuffling through papers all the while. Only Hiei and Kiki knew what they were waiting for. The others just sort of looked around, wanting to talk but not wanting to risk messing anything up. Finally they settled.

"You may sign," The younger man said in a wavering voice. Kiki smiled dangerously at the fear. It didn't matter how long she's been gone for, she and Leare were always feared.

"Thank you," Kiki said nicely and bowed her head to the older man. She walked to the table and bent over a paper that was pushed forward. This is where they put their names. She took the pen and signed her new name before pushing it aside. Hiei came up next to her and took it.

"I never believe rumors usually, but I'm glad I believed this one," The older man said absently. Kiki looked to him and cocked her head. "We could use some more old blood this year. Too much of the new is soiling it all," He said and glared up at her. She strained a smile to him.

"You sent the invitation yourself; didn't you know who it was to?" She asked, low and dangerous.

"I may have sent it, but that doesn't mean I knew it was YOU I was calling back," He said. Kiki gently put both hands on the table and stared deep into the man's eyes, looking for a lie or fear.

"You know perfectly well who requested me though," She said. He nodded his head but didn't say anything.

"You are dismissed," He told her dismissively and looked away. Kiki pushed herself up and stormed away to the giant building. She can't harm him without being disqualified. She can't allow that until she understands what's going on. The others followed, wondering what was going on.

"What's 'Clawve'?" Yusuke asked. Kiki didn't answer. She and Hiei both knew what it was and why it had been neatly typed at the top of the paper. They weren't going to share the answer though. Not if they didn't have to.

"That's the team you had a long time ago. Right?" Kurama asked, coming up very close to her close to her.

**Kiki**

I didn't say anything. I knew the other two were leaning in to hear behind us, but I didn't want to deny or enforce this idea though though. Why should I? If Kurama remembered himself, then he could figure it out without them knowing.

"What's 'Clawve'?" Yusuke asked Kurama this time. I glared at both of them.

"It was a team of fighters that were known as the strongest in all three worlds. No one could stop them, and few ever tried," Kurama said, watching for my reaction I knew as kept his sideways look directed at me. I wouldn't give him anything. He seems to already remember everything else on his own anyways.

"It was led by the Wolf Princess Sasharo, followed by the Sekai siblings Yammy and Leare, Sisava the snake demon, and Quersa the Queen of Spiders."

"Sasharo…?" Yusuke questions and thought, "She's used to be you your friend or something." I looked at him directly now. I didn't think they would remember that about Sasharo. I was hoping they would remember that she was Zokon's sister.

"Yes," I answered, "and I was part of that team since the day it was created. I have a right to use it whenever I want now that she's gone." Kurama watched me carefully and I turned my eyes forward once more. My tongue felt bitter now. I made it sound like Sasharo is dead. No….she's very much alive. I only wish I could say that though. I looked up at the building we would be staying in. It was still pretty far away. Too far away to make this conversation just disappear.

"In all the years I spent with Sasharo, I don't ever remember meeting you. She never even mentioned your name once," Kurama said lowly. I gave him a look of understanding. He was thinking I'm lying, but really he needs to think on his own.

"Figure it out yourself," I whispered and I walked faster to get away from him. Kurama fell back but Yusuke kept up.

"Were you really part of that team?" Yusuke questioned seriously.

"I never actually fought with them, but I was always kept close as a reserve and a guard. Compared to everyone else, I was barely as strong as the competition," I said. None of this was ever true, but sounded convincing. A little girl wanting to be a fighter tagging along with her older, very powerful cousin.

I was always stronger than almost everyone who signed up, but there were always a few that gave us a challenge. They were usually old ones. The dagger always made it possible for us to beat them though. Rarely we lost; only to the lost demons that lived in the darkest places of demon world.

"How strong was the group?" Yusuke asked darkly. Of course we would have to beat them if we wanted to win. Still…I had to think about it. Me and Leare were evenly matched on our best days most times. In this body, I had no chance to beat her. Yammy was just as powerful with his brute strength. We don't have a chance I think.

"You have to see them fight, that's the only thing I can tell you. Leare and Yammy are unparalleled here," I told him with a small smile.

"_It's an elaborate dance when Leare fights with you," _Hiei said. I smiled more, almost silly. I love fighting with Leare. It's probably the most fun thing I can do to fee alive.

"_Does it seem as elaborate as the wolf dances I tried to teach you?" _I asked, swallowing my laughter as I remembered how many steps he would miss and how stiff he always was.

"_No, that's harder," _He admitted. I almost laughed. Wolf dances were about being graceful and in tune with nature. Hiei was a being of destruction, it's no wonder he can't perform any of the moves.

"What's got you so happy all of a sudden?" Yusuke asked, I could hear part of smile there in his voice. He was the type of person that was in a good mood as long as he's fighting it seemed. This place must be as perfect for him as it is for me. He must be as happy as me. Am I happy though? I still don't know who brought me here or why.

"I just remembered something funny," I said waving him away. I remember the the time me and Leare first fought. I had won using the silliest tactics, ones that have us both still laughing about it today, and I had waved her away at the end because of something silly she said. I don't remember what she said, but the gesture had pissed her off though…I hope SHE's still laughing about it all though. She was known for holding grudges for years at a time. Her ash face and small eyes make her very hard to read most times.

"What is it?" Yusuke asked, leaning in close as if I was going to tell him. Please, I don't know you that well boy.

"If I tell you, then I'll have to kill before Leare kills me," I whispered to him. He thought about it for a moment and then moved away. That's better.

"Hiei, how do YOU know the Sekai siblings?" Kurama asked carefully. Shit. Leare knows me from here, I known Yammy through her, and Hiei knows them both through me.

"It doesn't matter," He responded and tried to get away from Kurama by walking faster.

"What are you hiding?" Kurama asked softly, keeping pace. Hiei didn't answer, but slowed down.

"_He'll keep asking, but we can tell him some lie later. It's too exposed here," _I sent him.

"_I agree," _He sent as we approached the building. He didn't get a chance to tell Kurama a lie because he was already examining the building entirely carved out of stone.

The twenty foot wooden doors were already open and and guarded by four demons on each side. I walked through calmly, looking around the huge lobby area as I did. It was surprisingly empty. Veterans always liked to stay down here and catch up with old allies and friends. There were only a few scattered demons, none of them I recognized.

"Yusuke!" A girl called. I turned to the voice and saw a normal looking girl. I stopped as the rest of the group did. She had brown eyes and short brown hair and wore a yellow colored dress. Near her, I saw that witch from before, but she was dressed in casual clothes now. There was another girl brown haired girl (though hers was longer), and teenage looking boy standing next to her. On the other side of the girl I saw someone I knew all too well. Yukina.

"Keiko, stop!" Yusuke complained as the girl clutched him in a tight embrace. I was very tempted to laugh. Everyone else seemed to think it was funny too. I turned back to Yukina and frowned.

"Hey Yukina," Kuwabara said, standing right next to her with a stupid grin on his face. I looked to Hiei for an explaination and saw him advert his eyes from both me and his sister. He rarely did that. Shouldn't he be watching his sister as closely as possibly? Or better yet, waiting for me to do something about it.

"Oh Kuwabara, how are you?" She asked and smiled. He blushed. Why is he blushing? What am I missing?

"I'm good Yukina, but I'm more interested in how you are," He said like an idiot. Yukina's face fell into wonder and she purposefully looked past the idiot. I followed her eye sight and then smiled a little. She was staring at Zokon who was staring at her.

"Zokon?" She questioned softly. Unlike with Leare, Zokon nodded his head and stepped forward proudly. "Zokon!" She yelled and ran to him. He wrapped his arms around her and didn't let go. I smiled. Those two were always very close in the demon world. Zokon was her only friend I bet, the same was for him

"Wait…uh, Yukina? You know him?" Kuwabara asked, coming over to stand close to them. Now he ws the confused one. Good.

"Yes. Zokon is my old friend," She responded and stepped back, smiling so brightly. I felt happy. I hated seeing that girl so miserable all the time through Hiei's eyes. He's shown me her happy before too. I can guess why now.

"I can't believe I found you!" Zokon said happily and smiled. I smiled too. He hasn't looked this happy for a long time. Yukina's eyes fell and so did my smile. Now was the question Zokon doesn't want to answer.

"I heard you were dead," She said, waiting for an explanation. I waited for one too. This was a chance for Zokon to grow depending on how he answers

"Hello Kikiaro," Someone said. I looked to the teenage man, who seemed to be sucking on something, and stared at him with annoyance.

"I don't know you," I told him and looked back to Yukina.

"It's me, Koema," He said. I looked him up and down, and then walked away. I don't like him, but I do like Hiei. I went to stand by him, hoping for shelter.

"Where are you going?" Koema demanded.

"Koema? What are you doing here?" Yusuke asked, like he suddenly noticed him. The god stopped and started talking to Yusuke. Hiei secretly took my hand and we turned around so we could hopefully talk in person. With Leare around, I don't feel too safe about our mental conversations about this.

"I came to watch," Koema replied I heard. Watch me he means. Damn him to hell. Out of the corner of my eyes I saw something grey and tan sliding past me. I turned to it and saw Leare and her group.

"Leare?" I questioned. She smiled slyly and I knew something was up. I narrowed my eyes on her. Me and Hiei both approached her. She didn't try to run.

"We were just about to go up and-," She said.

"Why are you sneaking?" I asked before she was finished. She frowned.

"We aren't sneaking," She responded seriously. Her eyes were playful I think. It's very hard to tell the size in this dim lighting.

"I hope you saved my bed," I said dangerously. Leare is sneaking because there must be something that's going to make me mad. My room being taken was bad enough, but my bed would be even worse. I had a very specific bed that I sleep on and I will be extremely pissed if Quersa is using it for her spiders to sleep on. It might be worse it she was using it herself. Leare stared at me and didn't say anything.

"What happened to my bed?" I asked. This was why she was sneaking. Something happened to my bed. That was litterly the only thing from my past and only I'm allowed to sleep in it. Only me.

"You know, in the past few years, I've learned that my other half can't stand to sleep with other people. I also learned that she has to sleep on the celling and also right in the middle of the room. It's really interesting," She told. My eyes narrowed until they hurt.

"What did you do to my bed?" I asked with clenched teeth. Without a word, she continued on her way, never breaking eyes contact with me. I instantly followed her, dragging Hiei along which also dragged everyone else along at some point.

We came to the very first room we won that was on the fifth floor. It was an average sized apartment with three bedrooms and taller than average doors. The room next door was Leare's (which was specially made for Yammy because he's so big. We have a really large door that connects the rooms so we could go see him without using the hallway every time. It was safer that way).

I stared at the celling now. My precious bed that was woven by my mother and then stuffed with all sorts of calming dried herbs was now dangling limply from the ceiling with all sorts of tangles, knots, and rips. I'm pissed now.

"I am not happy about this," I said, continuing to stare at it. Everyone else fanned out around me, talking and whispering and such. Yes, the room was amazingly big and beautiful, but I'm only focused on my precious bed right now.

"I don't expect you to be," Leare said, standing next to me and staring up at it as well. Yammy pushed open the door that separates the rooms and sat in the doorway so he could watch the scene. I turned and stared at her dangerously, Sasharo's energy tickling through and wanting to snap at her like…well a wolf.

She examined me with her eyes before disappearing. Around the room, things moved into places that were normal and familiar for me and Hiei. I stood there, tracking her with my now more superior eyes. Sasharo's power did more than cause fear; it brought back my real senses.

"It's fixed now," She said without any sort of emotion. I look from one side of the room to the other, my eyes stopping on a black spider as big as my hand sitting on the inside of the glass door. It was open, and across the stretching hallway joining the first two buildings, I could see the other door open. That was MY room. Now Quersa was in there and sending her pets to spy on us. Why isn't Quersa part of Leare's team this year? That's the real question right now. No matter how different their opinions were, I can't imagine Leare just pushing aside an ally.

Hiei automatically handed me his sword. I judged its weight and then threw it, piercing it through its huge body and through the door. The sword didn't go all the way through the door through, just half way. The glass around it cracked, but it held up. The spider squirmed, its scream hurting my ears, as purple blood oozed down the door.

"Make yourselves comfortable," I said calmly and walked to the door. I pulled it open further and stepped aside. Hiei gently slid out his sword and threw the now dead spider onto the walkway. The glass still didn't collapse luckily. He took his sword to the kitchen to clean it while I carefully closed the door and locked it. It's cold here at night. If the glass is going to break, wait for Leare to get me a new door.

"You're fixing my door," I told Leare and turned to face her. She didn't show any emotion as she strolled around the couches, her oval shaped finger nails grazing the surfaces. It was a good thing they were all cloth or they would probably be scarred.

"I can't fix it until it breaks," She responded and stopped at the couch nearest to the right wall. The couches formed a five point pentagon in the spacious room. Leare is now at what is the base, her favorite place. Yammy was watching her very carefully.

"Leare," I said to get her full attention. She tipped herself over the edge and then spread out onto a lounge. "Is Quersa still on our side?" I asked Leare. Leare defiantly was not recognizing Quersa as an ally, but if Quersa was an enemy she wouldn't have the room across from me. She wouldn't have any room under our group in general. Leare would never allow it. She stared at me with a very straight face now.

"NO," She said more forceful than I expected. I narrowed my eyes, but then saw the others around us were stopping their conversations to listen.

"Come on," I told her and went to Yammy. He shuffled aside and let me through the doorway moments before Leare. The door was shut firmly, and then we just stared at each other, trying to grasp the thoughts of one another.

Everyone settled down a little now that the most dangerous looking and mysterious people had locked themselves in the other room. All of them looked awkward as they stood around, unsure of whether Kiki was being serious of not when she told them "to make themselves at home."

Hiei was at home though, and he looked it. Right after he had cleaned his sword, he took up very comfortable looking nap position on the couch Leare had just been on. Sisava and her son Avin had slithered out of the rooms, mentioning that they would be exploring until night fall. (Avin has a similar green coloring like his mother, but he has a solid black strip running down his spine and coiling around his tail). Kaion and Travoz were one of the first to make themselves comfortable. However, they looked more tortured with each other's presence as they took seats on opposite couches.

Kaion is strong, no one can doubt that. Muscles budge under his loose orange shirt and dark blue pants. His red hair is braided in the back with his very short bangs brushing just over his hazel eyes. He's sitting with a hunched back with his hands intertwined together in the middle. He looks like he's thinking with his eyes glued to the ground, but really he was using his other senses to understand everything that's going on around him.

Travoz is completely different. Her long legs are crossed over one another, and she almost bored as she examines her perfectly circle white nails. Her skin is very pale, but her hair is bright silver and seems to reflect all the light around them. If anyone could see her low cut eyes, they would see that they were a bright red, making her look like what the humans used to fear. Her clan used to be called "vampires" by them. The name always disgusted her though.

Her clothes are very short, and she wore no shoes. Her short pair of shirts and her overly open shirt barely covered the essentials. Not that they would need to. Her back, stomach, and shoulders were completely exposed. Free. If anything, it made her look even scarier.

"Who are you two?" Kurama asked and came over. Zokon took Yukina's hands and lead her to the kitchen so they could talk more in private. He was having fun listening to Yukina's stories. Koema and Kuwabara like to interrupt them a lot though, asking their own "pressing" questions.

Kuwabara kept asking Yukina things about Zokon, things that might make him see why his love had a friend like him. Yukina answer every question with complete politeness. Koema questioned Zokon on things he had no idea on. Zokon had little to no clue on what happed with his clan and whether anyone was left. He did recognize Kaion (barely), but wasn't going to bring it up until he talked to his sister. He showed his stain though and anyone could tell he didn't want to talk anyone but Yukina right now. Sadly, the two men followed them into the kitchen.

Yusuke took an empty couch and plopped down in the middle. Keiko took a seat next to him and the other two girls took the last one. Through Kaion's hair flickered two rust colored ears. They shook and moved as they listened to all the voices that were suddenly a lot closer. He looked to Kurama and then sat up, offering a seat next to him. Kurama took it.

"I'm Kaion of the wolf clan," He said and bowed his head with respect.

"Kurama," He introduced and bowed back. He knew many wolf traditions and knew this was a sign of respect and greeting. Kaion watched Kurama with interest. He's only heard of the famous fighter once or twice from a few demons fresh from over the other side of the barrier.

"Traz," Kaion said and looked to the girl. She glared up at him, everything about her freezing.

"Trying calling me that again and see what happens," She said deadly. Kaion closed his eyes and looked away from everyone. He knew what might happen, and he wasn't sure he was ready to lose his tongue because he forgets who he's actually dealing with.

"I am Travoz. You will NOT call me anything else," She said to Kurama, her red eyes searching him for just a moment before going back to examining her nails.

**Kikiaro**

"Leare, I've known you for a long time, but I can't imagine what Quersa could have done to make you so….?" I asked Leare. I was always against Quersa (except for when I asked her to join our team at first) but Leare always wanted to keep her. I think she secretly like the difference in opinions as well as the arguing. I hated arguing with Leare; she always wins it seems, even when she loses. Also, Quersa was a powerful ally, none of us can deny that. Dismissing or denying Quersa anything could end deadly if we don't plan carefully. Leare took my shoulders and bent over to stare into my eyes. I stared back, watching her eyes grow very very wide.

"I told you we couldn't help you're people. We told you we could hear your distress. We heard it, we saw it," She told me. Anger welled up inside me. They have the power to pass into any world unnoticed or go to any place that they want (wasting a lot of energy in the process though), yet she couldn't come help me when a hundred spirit warriors came to kill me? Or better yet, go to my people and save them while I strived to get there on my own.

"Quersa was there Sasa. She was close. You thought Spirit World destroyed the caves, you were wrong. Her children made the collapse, and I think they killed some of your people. They only arrived in time to see you there with the collapse settling," She told. My mind wasn't completely processing this. Quersa had been there the whole time, she killed my people, she let me take the blame. She left Zokon to die.

Now I'm pissed.


	11. Who is the Strongest of Clawve?

"So, do you mind telling us what's going on here?" Yusuke asked, gesturing around him but looking directly at Kaion. He looked amazing focused for an issue that seemed very important at this point. The man just stared at him, not understanding the question. Travoz looked up from examining her nails, staring narrowly at Yusuke. She understood completely, and understood very well that everything said from here on must be thought out and careful.

"What do you mean?" Kaion asked in a very serious tone. He understood that this had to be serious for Travoz to look up. She was very particular about her nails.

"Like…" Yusuke thought about it, "This lady, Sasharo, made this group of fighters. She disappeared and now Kikiaro's taking it over even though she wasn't one of the fighters. Doesn't anyone else think that's odd?" Yusuke asked. Kurama nodded his head in agreement from the moment Yusuke started talking.

"Sasharo and Kikiaro are….mostly the same person," Kaion started but corrected himself when he saw Travoz sending him a very deadly glare. "Their personalities were similar and so were their fighting styles. Sasharo raised Kikiaro by herself. Like she was her own child. That's how Leare always saw it that is," He explained. Kurama stared up at him and Travoz's gaze relaxed and she went back to her nails.

"Why didn't Leare take the name though? She was the second most deadly fighting in that group. The name is power itself and is just is powerful no matter that world you go to," Kurama asked. Kaion stared at him, almost seeing the gears turning in his head. He was wondering who the hell this person was and why Kikiaro brought him here if he was as smart as Hiei.

"Like I said, Leare sees Kikiaro as Sasharo's little girl. She thinks it's her…right to—" He trailed off as he stared across the walkway. There was Quersa, strolling toward them like she didn't have a care in the world on her eight thin spider legs. Travoz looked up from her nails again and followed his eye line just as the others did.

"Leare!" He called loudly, "You should get in here! Now!" He was asking her more than telling her it sounded like. Anyone who's ever worked with Leare knows the simplest rule about her: You can't command her to do anything at all. There's a good chance she would rip out your tongue if you tried though. She will smile while doing it too.

**Kikiaro**

Leare's head cocked sharply to the side. Sasha's energy was devastating. So much anger and pain was bottled behind that it was really hard not to let it forward. They were old emotions, but they were so similar to what I was feeling right now. I don't want to contain it, but I have to. I want it to come out, I want to kill Quersa with it and then listen to her screams for mercy as I smile. I can't let it go in here though. Even if I killed her, Yomi is still out there with my mother's flute and the blood of at least half of my clan on his hands.

Leare turned to the door and opened it. "Kaion, why are you yelling?" She asked. He didn't say anything, but she walked out with a straighter stance. She was angry. My human eyes crumbled and shaped into a wolf's. My teeth grew sharper, tougher. Her power was breaking through. I followed hurriedly behind her, watching her stop in front of the door. My eyes narrowed and I felt my hair swirl around me. That was the last straw. My energy exploded forward, wiping its wild wind around the room. The cracked glass in the door collapsed inward and through it I could see her clear as day.

Quersa, the Queen of Spiders. The bottom half of her body consisted of two shiny black ovals with eight thin, equally black, legs protruding from them. The top half of her body was humanish. Her two eyes were big circles, the color of blood, pale skin and black hair. She wore a black lacy corset over her torso, but it didn't help the razor sharp pinchers that took the place of each of her hands.

There wasn't anything that didn't scream 'monster'. Her top half was too human to be a demon and the rest of her was too demon to be human. No one knows what she is or how she came to be in this world though. I know what she is though. She's a traitor; a murderer.

"What are you doing here?" Leare asked dangerously, lifting the back of her left foot off the ground. NO! She is not going to steal my revenge! I stomped forward, not bother to care about being quiet, but I was grabbed around my torso, my arms locked to my body. Yammy had me in his hands now! Her energy took over more. My nails got heavier, thicker and sharper. She is not getting away!

"I came to see old friends. Hello, Leare," She said nicely and pushed open the broken door. She stepped carefully over the glass, entering the room just in front of Leare.

"Leare, don't you dare," I warned her through clenched teeth. I forgot how strong Yammy is as I tried to break away. She looked to me, her eyes completely black. That wasn't going to stop me!

"Shut up," She said, her voice at least four pitches down. This is where the legends of demon possession came from. If only I was scared of her. She turned back around. How dare she turn her back to me a second time!

"Hello Yammy, Kaion…Sas-" Quersa started, using that stupid gracious tone like she was mocking us. I always hated her voice.

"You have no place here anymore," Leare cut in before she could finish my name, "You betrayed us." I worked my hands out. It took only a second to put my hands together into a single fist, coiled with energy, and smashed them down on Yammy's hands. He yelped in pain, releasing his grasp for only a second. I only needed a second to escape. I didn't get far before Leare was suddenly in back of me, one of her arms wrapped tightly around my throat and the other was around my chest.

"Hiei," She said almost as a whisper. He was in front of us then, his sword drawn. NO! He knows better than the rest of us that he's no match for her!

"Hiei…so many years have passed but not enough to change anything important. You are still here and you are still playing the protector for a girl who doesn't need it," Quersa said and smiled. It was doused in sugar. How can she smile at me, at us, after what she did? How can she step a single foot on this island and then bring me here?!

"You-" I managed before Leare cut off what little amount of air she was allowing me. To hell with the rules! I'm going to kill that stupid spider and then drown her children in her blood!

"Leave," Hiei said dangerous, bring his sword up to her thin neck. I want to strangle that neck. Twist it until it cracks and breaks. She didn't even look nervous as she smiled. I struggled to breathe as my teeth grew longer. I closed them. They all fit perfectly together like always.

"Were you the one who killed my helpless child?" She asked with mock sadness as she stared down the blade, "I sent it here as a sign of peace. I'm hurt that you would take its life without even a thought." Hiei was silent.

"Oh you poor wolfing. Look what you've done to yourself," She said almost in a mix of horror and pity. It's a lie though. Her smile is too big and bright. She didn't care. She made me do this to myself! She made me seal my power! She made me hide! SHE MADE ME ABANDON MY BROTHER!

"_Why are we killing her?" _He asked me very calmly. He was only mad because I'm mad.

"_SHE KILLED MY CLAN IN THIS WORLD! SHE KILLED THEM ALL!" _I screamed at him. I saw him stagger. I bit my energy a little as Leare gave me a little air back. Sasharo's energy was too strong for him even when I wasn't in a human body. I forgot for moment how sensitive his mind can be. He straightened up and the tip of his sword pressed against her throat.

"I'm hurt Hiei. Why would you do this to me? I've never done anything to you," She asked as a whisper. He pressed it deeper. Black blood dripped down from the cut.

"You killed the wolf clan. That's enough reason for me to kill you," He said dangerously. I struggled against Leare's strong grip. He can't kill her! It has to be me! I have to be the one who avenges my clan! My family! Leare was faltering. Her hold was loosening. No one kills Quersa but me!

"Hey Hiei, mind telling us what's going on?" Yusuke interrupted. Travoz was examining the situation for exactly a minute at this point when she suddenly stood up. No one heard her move, they barely even saw her. Most of the people in the room saw her disappear and then reappear next to Hiei. In-between two white fingers was the edge of his sword and her eyes were trained on the Spider Queen. Quersa looked at her and then backed up two steps to be away from the point. She didn't try to wipe the blood away. Several small spiders crawled out of her corset and rushed to the wound, quickly cleaning the blood and then stitching the cut.

"I don't care much about why you tried to wipe out the wolf tribe, but I know Leare does. So tell her why you did it before I get annoyed. I have no problems being banned if it means my love will calm down," She said slow and angelic. I clenched my teeth and stared at Quersa, and she stared back. She's not getting away! Leare can't let this happen!

"Because they knew about the Prophecy of Yonoowori," Quersa said and smiled with a slight tilt to her head. They she was gone, heading back out across the walkway, glancing back at us just to give a smile. She knew she won when we didn't come after her.

The energy drained away, leaving me empty. My legs gave out, but Leare caught me, lowering me to the floor. Hiei put his sword away, but didn't leave his spot. We were all frozen it seemed. Mother made me memorize this prophecy since I was a little girl. She was certain that it would happen in my life time and knew that I would have to be one of the protectors to save the human world. Yonoowori: the time when the human world will die and cease to exist.

"Yonoowori…" Koema said soflty, thinking it over. Leare was gone then, wrapped in Travoz's arms, speaking soft words of her bravery and playfully scolding her on how she might have gotten hurt. It was so hard to block out. Sasha's leftover hearing made it impossible. Hiei looked back at me and I felt like I might cry. Not only had Quersa came here and basically mocked us, but she had also walked away unscratched (that wound on her neck is probably already gone). I pressed my hands to my eyes and sat there, unsure of what to do or say. I won't let myself cry though. Sasha always mixes up my emotions. I wish I could be her again.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?!" Yusuke yelled now when no one said anything. He had been asking the people around him, even Kaion I think, but they weren't answering. If he knew, he wouldn't be talking either.

"It's nothing. A myth," Koema waved off. My hands shot away from my eyes and I looked up. I pulled myself up with the help of the couch and glared at him.

"It's a vision the wolf tribes have seen since the beginning of time. A plague will come and wipe out the human world, unbalancing the demon and spirit world as well. A war will come between the two living planes, and Spirit World will fall. Demons will branch out and then rule all three planes of existence," Kurama explained darkly. Kaion stared hatefully at Koema. Good. No one is allowed to downplay our prophecies.

"It will happen unless we do something," He told the teenage man confidently. Yes…The Prophecy of Ages. The only one that's never been prevented or stopped; the only one that has ever involved spirit world.

"What makes you think it'll happen though?" Yusuke asked Kaion jokingly. Both of us glared at him. He noticed it right away and got serious.

"The wolf clan has always had true visions, and we've always kept the balance," Kaion told him strongly.

"The wolf clan wasn't just neutral in the war amongst The Three Kings. They've always been neutral in every problem or war that didn't involve what they call 'The Balance'. They were respected for their neutrality as well as their work because it meant there was little war between the existences and no impending destruction of any one world," Kurama slowly explained. I saw Zokon come from the kitchen, Yukina clinging to him. I covered my eyes and turned my head down. How do we know this plague will only affect humans though? I've never seen this vision, there's no way for me to know. All I was told is that the human world falls; dies. No one ever told me if the demons already there died also.

"The wolf clan meddles when they shouldn't. They have always gotten in everyone's way and were always committing-'" Koema started but stopped when he saw our eyes train on him again. Even Travoz was staring at him and she didn't even like me very much. I only knew her as a fellow fighter. I know Leare and Yammy are with me on this.

"Woa…." Yusuke muttered as he looked around at all the dangerous looks. Hiei came up next to me and joined the staring.

"Be cautious of what you say in this room Spirit Lord. You are not amongst friends if you are against the wolf clan," Leare said very dangerously. I saw a shiver go through one of the girls. Were we scaring her? I hope so. I hope all of them are scared of us. I was known as Sasharo The Blooded Thorn, for a reason.

"Get out," I said sharply. Koema looked at me. He was surprised I was ordering him to do something? This is my home! I own this room! "Everyone except my group, get out," I repeated louder. Slowly, hushed goodbyes were said. Koema and his girls left, Yukina with them, as well as Leare's group. Little was said as my blood calmed. Sasha was under control again. I took a seat on my couch at the flat part of the pentagon and Hiei lay down on the one to the left. I pushed off my shoes and curled my legs under me. It's time to work out our strategy.


	12. The Past Retold

**Kikiaro**

"How do we stop this thing end-of-the-world thing from happening?" Yusuke asked and took his previous seat. Kurama sat on a different couch along with Kuwabara. I focused on my brother who was still by the kitchen. I patted the place next to me while I kept my eyes trained on him. They were starting to go back to normal human sight. It felt like I was looking through dirty glass now. Zokon nodded his head no and went back to the kitchen. I almost sighed.

"Hey, Kiki, how do we stop this prophecy thing?" Yusuke asked again. My head sharply turned to him and my eyes narrowed. Who said he could call me "Kiki"? I barely even allowed "Sasha" or "Sas" in the past.

"We can't as far as I know. My people have never found a solution…we may be able to save part of this world if we had more help, but I don't think we can prevent it completely," I responded slowly. I wish my people could have found out more about it in the past. I guess it's too late for that though.

"Quersa knows something we don't I think," Hiei announced. I nodded my head right when he started saying that. I was thinking the same thing right now when I thought about how she smiled when she left and how she came into this room that was hostile territory. The rooms may be off limits to fight in, but they never said anything about the walkways.

She killed my people to stop us from trying to stop this prophecy from coming true it seemed. It almost sounds like she's going to be one of the demons who are going to make sure it comes true and might be one of many who are waiting to crash into this world and start killing humans for fun. None of them understand what is going to happen in the end then. The demons will rule everything at the end of all the fighting, that's true, but then even they will collapse within a few years and every living thing will die. Not even the Netherworld with exist.

"Yeah, what's the deal with her anyways? That one girl said she killed the wolf clan or something. What does that mean?" Yusuke asked, sitting back, relaxing. I looked up to the celling. There was still an off colored path where my bed used to be attached.

"The wolf clan lived in the most of the middle demon planes. It was a forest that bordered all three king's lands and was home to only demons of nature. I remember always being welcomed into the most sacred of places for the wolves because I was a friend of the princess. They were respected for their neutrality as well as their pride, and that is why the kings left them alone. The have always been the only wolf clan to keep their neutrality while other clans went feral or retreated to the darkest of demon planes. I heard they were attacked by someone and many were killed. Those that survived retreated to the demon world with the princess at their head," Kurama explained while staring completely at me. I stared back at him to. The mention of the caves brought back all sorts of memories. I really missed that forest, but Yomi had burned it to the ground. I missed the caves even more since they were completely destroyed. My earliest memories were in those caves with my mother always watching me from the high rock, and my father always looking back from the entrance.

"Quersa killed my people. We stayed in the wilderness of what you call Russia at the request of Spirit World. I was away, and when I came back everyone was dead and Spirit World was blaming me. I was just told now that Quersa was the one who killed them and then collapsed the caves that we had dug out for our homes," I whispered as I remembered that day. Most of the rocks were stained with blood. I think I remember seeing her spiders now, but I didn't register them at the time because then those spirit guards came. Normally, demons killing demons didn't matter. However, we were a different kind of demons. We kept the balance, and that set us apart from all three planes of existence.

"Wait…you told up that Sasharo was blamed for killing your people," Yusuke pointed out. I looked up at him. I slipped up. I put a hand to my head. It was pounding now as my senses lowered to human standards. I always forget that this body can't handle Sasharo's power. Kurama was staring at me even more now. He's figured it out I think.

"Sasharo was blamed just as much as Kikiaro…Isn't that right Sasha?" Kurama asked. I narrowed my eyes at him. It sure took him a long time to figure that one out. Still….I wish he hadn't jus announced it to everyone here. It doesn't even matter if I call him Yoko because they already know he's Yoko.

"It took you long enough Yoko," I said and pulled my legs tighter under me. I don't care about hiding my identity from them so much anymore. There's no time for secrets with the Prophecy of Ages coming as well as our part in the tournament coming up. There are a lot of new fighters that I don't know and there is bound to be another group or two working with Quersa other than her own. We need to work together and stop these demons for trying to bring this prophecy to fruition in the most horrid forms. I don't want to see the humans fall, they have a certain helplessness that is interesting. Kurama smiled and closed his eyes with a small laugh.

"I knew it was you when you first said you were related to Sasharo. You should remember that I spent all my days in the forest inside the cave with you and the clan. I personally knew everyone in the inner circle and Kikiaro wasn't among them…Also, Zokon only smiles with his sister," He responds and laughs a little louder. I narrow my eyes and smile myself. I didn't think he was that observant with those little things. True, a family member as close as I've made Kikiaro would have been very intertwined in the inner circle.

"I've been leaving you clues so you would figure it out. You couldn't have known for sure though until you saw Leare. Your mind has gotten dull though. Very dull in the years you've been away," I responded and laughed a little. I've missed Yoko.

"Wait, you're Sasharo?!" Kuwabara asked loudly. I picked up a pillow and threw it at him. He needs to be quieter. I rubbed the side of my head. I wish this pain would go away.

"These walls are not sound proof. Though I have many allies in the rooms on this floor, I have many enemies all over the entire building. That broken door isn't exactly helping either," I hushed to him and then carefully listened for anyone coming to the door.

"I was trying to figure out what you were planning. Even a different wolf in your situation would consider making a contract with a human," Kurama asked and leaned in a little closer.

"I'm going to find Yomi and prove my innocence. First, I to catch Quersa and hand her over to Spirit World as the murderer of the refugee wolves that made it here," I hissed. Just saying their names made me angry.

"What do you mean "make a contract"?" Yusuke asked Kurama.

"Basically, I'm borrowing this girl's body for two years under her consent. In exchange, and she gets to see a new of world. One that's more exciting. Everything I think, feel, and experience…she has access to in my head," I respond slowly so he can grasp the concept. Mostly all demons just possess weak humans. That is not our way though. We always feel the need to ask for permission first and make sure it is an even trade.

"So you're like…possessing her body?" Kuwabara asked. I could see him shrink away as far as he could while still sitting in his seat. My eyes narrowed at him and I wondered how I should handle this.

"When you say it like that, it sounds like I took her body without consent. She agreed to the terms and actually enjoys looking through my eyes and seeing this world," I respond quickly. Asami often comes to me at night when I'm sleeping. She loves to questions me about what she's seen on her own. It's hard to contact her when my mind is fully conscious, but it's possibly and she's always happy and healthy.

"Anyways," Yusuke intervened to shut the idiot up, "let me understand this. Why are you looking for Yomi?" I paused. Should I reveal what the king did during his reign? Yes.

"Yomi lead his army against my people when we lived in the demon world. He told us to pick a side, and we refused," I told him softly. The room was mostly quiet with the exception of the sounds of Zokon cooking in the kitchen. I wish he wasn't so considerate sometimes. One of my hands clenched when I remembered how my mother never spoke a word after that attack that took my father. Zokon was so scared when he looked with the bodies of most of our clan pilled on the stone floors around him. Yusuke looked at me and then at Kurama.

"It's not that far of a stretch for Yomi. He was never a supporter of the wolf neutrality that your people kept. He believed you were trying to mock him in some way," Kurama said. I nodded my head. I've seen him smile while also giving off angry energy when I went to his palace once with my father. He was a very deceiving leader. He makes it seem like his blindness makes it so he can't see anything. It's ironic that he's the only demon that seems to see everything.

"If I can get enough proof, my name will be cleared of the murders of my people. Quersa killed my people in this human world which I can only prove if I can capture her alive. That will clear my name here and also in my homeland," I explained. They nodded their heads, understanding now why I needed to hide at the beginning as Asami and most recently as Kikiaro.

"So…Zokon is really your brother then. Does that Leare know?" Yusuke asked, very carefully saying Leare's name. I think he's figured out that she and the others don't tolerate ignorance of any kind.

"Of course," Kurama, me, and Hiei answered at the same time. Leare always knew everything, whether you told it to her or not. I just happened to tell her because I know she prefers to be told things. I'm still not sure sometimes if she'll kill me for the littlest things or not.

"Hey Hiei, if you and her both know Leare, does that mean you both knew each other?" Yusuke asked, leaning forward. We both started at him. I don't even know how to handle this at the moment. My head hurts too much. I really need to sleep.

"_What do we say?" _I asked Hiei.

"_Yusuke's an idiot, but he's not stupid. It's more trouble to lie," _He sent me. I almost sighed.

"Me and Hiei have known each other since we were children. I'm the one who introduced him to Leare in the first place," I answer calmly.

"_You didn't need to tell him that!" _Hiei shouted at me. I frowned. What exactly did he want me to say? He said to tell the truth so that's what I did. What did it matter if they knew? They'll figure it out if they ever see us fight as a pair. We act almost like a single person at this point.

"_You told me not to lie," _I sent back. Yusuke got this weird look on his face. I stared at it, wondering what that look means.

"You never mentioned that in the past," Yoko remarked with almost a question at the end.

"It never came up," I retorted. I smelled the air and wrinkled my nose. Something's burnt. I looked over and Zokon was coming in with a large plate. He set it down in the middle of the coffee table and I saw that it was slightly burnt chicken. I think that's pretty good for Zokon who's never used a stove before. He turned around and went right back to the kitchen.

"I guess we get dinner now," Yusuke said and leaned forward to examine the food. There was a lot of it, but these guys will probably eat most of it easily. I really don't feel hungry at this point. I'd rather sleep, but I want to talk to Zokon first.

"Yeah," I answer and stare at the kitchen doorway.

"So, if you knew Hiei, then did he save Zokon because he was your brother?" Kuwabara asked. I'm amazed he can make a sentence that long.

"Yes," Hiei answered. I think we both knew he wouldn't shut up about it if we didn't answer in a non-lying way.

"Zokon has always been my baby brother who always needs some kind of help. He's not a fighter," I told him and watched Zokon come back with plates and other necessities for dinner (forks, knives, napkins). He set them down and disappeared again. What will he bring this time?

"I think we should discuss what we're going to do though," Kurama said softly and leaned forward. I looked up at him. What does he mean?

"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked.

"Well, we were sent here to get the dagger, but now we know the human world is going to collapse if we don't do anything. The prize here is a single wish. If we won what should we wish for? And the Sasha is here and also considered a criminal…" Kurama said but then stopped.

"I'm here to find Yomi. If we won, my plan was to wish for where he was and then go hunt him," I told them seriously. There's no reason to hold back. Demons hunting each other is nothing for Spirit World to care about.

"…we all need to be fighting for the same goal if we're going to work together. Otherwise we'll just wind up fighting amongst ourselves in the end. We won't last long here if we aren't together," Kurama said. Zokon came back balancing drinks for all of us. I waited til he set them down to speak.

"Zokon, give me the knife back," I asked and held out my hand toward me. He looked at me before taking it off his belt and giving it to me. I took the sheath off and quickly ranked my nails against the black paint. Beneath it was clearing gold. I held it up so they could all see.

"I've always had the dagger with me," I told them. Yusuke leapt and tried to grab it, knocking aside the table, but Hiei was up in a second and pushed him backwards. Zokon froze and I watched the drinks on the table slosh over and spill.

"Spirit World has never had any claim to this. MY people made it before King Emna was even born and has always been held by the leader of my clan. No one else is allowed to use it," I told him seriously, staring directly into his eyes.

"So how did they get it in the first place and why do they want it?" Yusuke asked and took his seat again. Hiei stayed standing

"Because it's extremely powerful," I responded. Zokon took a seat on Hiei's couch, staring at me with scared eyes.

"Only men can be leaders in your clan though," Kurama said. I lowered the dagger into my lap and wrapped my hands around it. Blood welled up from my hands, but I didn't feel the pain. Yes…I know that only men can lead the clan and that only leaders can wield the dagger.

"I know. Once my name is cleared, I'm passing it onto Zokon," I said slowly. I could see Zokon looking very uneasy about the decision, almost scared. I can't be drawn in by those scared eyes though. This is the way is has to be. The dagger is only supposed to speak to them. It only speaks to me now because I need it to save my clan because there is no one else capable.

"So anyways, Hiei…is there something going on between you and her? I mean you did lie about knowing her and that spider lady did say that you're always protecting her and stuff," Kuwabara broke in. We both looked at him. Is he seriously bringing this up at a time like this? This would be inappropriate to ask no matter what sort of time it was.

"No," We both answered immediately. I got up, sheathed my knife and went to Zokon.

"Eat something. I'm going to bed," I told him and gently kissed his head. He looked up at me with those scared eyes and nodded his head.

"Night Sasha," He said softly. Hiei took a seat next to him as I headed to my room. It will feel nice to be in my own bed even if it wasn't in my usual room.

"You seem pretty defensive for someone who doesn't have a crush on Kiki," Yusuke said mischievously. I shut the door and snuggled into my bed. Before I felt Asami tugging me into sleep, I thought, "I'm stuck with these idiots now. No matter what….".


	13. A Dream of Memories and Claws

**Sasharo**

The dream was painted into existence as I stood in the white emptiness. I know this is Asami's doing, but it's still very annoying every night. My annoyance fads away as I recognized the place she made as its colored in. This was the demon world, more specifically the forest area where I first met Hiei. Everything is so much clearer than whenever I've try to remember it on my own. If there was something I needed to remind me of my ultimate goal, this was it.

Asami was spread out on one of the few flat area of grass land available. Here the grass was more of a muddy green but everything here was also fake. Her hazel hair was always perfectly curled because of this and her eyes stared up at the very dark green leaves. I don't remember if I ever told her that these trees feed on the dead and that's how the leaves get their dark color and red veins.

I put a hand on the nearest tree and claw up it in a few seconds. I perch on the branch, feeling the breeze wave through my Kimono. I sigh and close my eyes. I've missed having my claws and I've defiantly missed these familiar scents of nightshade and blood. I know this is just something from my memories that Asami has dug up in her spare time, but it really feels like I'm back home again. My energy pulses familiarly, getting in tune with nature like it's supposed to. It's been a long time since I've felt a "demon heartbeat".

"Asami," I purr and look down. She turns her head slightly to the right to smile up at me.

"This is my thank you," She responds. I shake my head.

"This is your bride," I tell her and gently sit back against the tree trunk. I curl my arms out of my Kimono sleeves and rest them against my chest. I've missed my Kimono too. Asami has recently taken to dressing me in all sorts of weird clothes when morning comes. She leaves me alone when it's a day that I need to do something like interact it demons though. Sometimes she's leave me naked so she can ask me about my scars and the stories behind them. That's only when I have absolutely nothing to do though. My right leg stays propped up on the branch while my leg swings in the air. I've really missed climbing trees.

"I wouldn't call it a bribe. I just want to talk to you," She says and props her knees up. She's wearing a green skirt and a white tee that is very low cut. I smile down at her, showing all my teeth. She does love to dress like this because she knows the boys all love it. I refrain from letting her dress me to this extent though both in real life and in this world. She would never dare though.

"You always want to talk to me. The only difference now is you gave me clothes I like," I tell her. She pushes herself up on her elbows now, scowling. She never gives me my Kimono and sometimes she takes away my claws. I really do like my claws.

"I don't understand what you're planning," She states. I sigh. At least this is better than anything else she's ever asked me about.

"I'm going after Yomi. When I find him, he's going to pay for his crimes and confess to the current ruler in demon world. Before that I will take down Quersa and make her tell me what she knows about Yonoowori and then confess her crime to Spirit World," I tell her slowly. She slowly nods her head but I can tell that I haven't satisfied her curiosity yet.

"How are you going to make either of them talk?" She asks. I look up at the trees. I did think of that, but only partly.

"I need to talk to Leare about what to do with Quersa, and with Yomi I plan to trap him with the Rehiro," I inform her. Only parts of my thoughts were available to her so I understand her confusion. When it comes to things like these, I usually block her out completely.

"And you two will…what? Beat the crap out of her until she talks?" She asks and rolls her eyes. That would never work with Quersa and she knows it. Quersa would never meet with us alone anyways, and even if she did, there would be a planned escape route that only she could use. She's a very careful spider and that's why I first took her in. She has more strategy skills than either me or Leare. Both of us are much stronger than her when we're separated though.

"We plan to both do that in the arena. Once the bell rings, either of us can beat her until she's dead. When she losses though, she's all ours outside of the arena. No rules apply to her then," I remind her. She nods her head and smiles just a little. She likes watching me fight I remember.

"She's not going to talk just because you ruff her up though," She says and I smile.

"Quersa is careful, but not that much. She loves to talk to an opponent that's losing. She'll tell us everything before the match is up if we act the right way. She'll also beg for her life if she's the one that might die, but that will have to happen in the hills where no one can hear her scream," I say and pick off two leaves. I rub my fingers over their shinny surface and the scent of blood perfumes the air. I inhale deeply and wish this wasn't just a dream.

"SO…_YOU'RE_ going to get yourself beat up then?" She questions with a wide mouth. I roll my eyes.

"Only a tiny a bit. Remember though, we have Leare on our side. Any injures I receive she can heal," I say. She still narrows her eyes at me.

"That's my body you're using though, remember," She reminds me. I roll me eyes. She's not the one that feels the pain for the injuries I receive, I do.

"Yes, I understand that this is your and I am being very careful with it," I tell her sincerely. She settles back on the grass and stares up into the leaves. I tear the ones in my hands into little pieces and watch them flutter to the ground one by one. My fingers are sticky and smell strong of blood. She doesn't ask me anything else for the rest of the dream.

Leare eyes open automatically when the sun first enters the room. She's always up once sun first touches the horizon while he brother always gets up once the bottom of the sun has just left it. Those were the exact times each of them were born on the same say. Directly above her is Travoz, clutching her ragged bed with her body digging into it like it's a panther she's just killed. Leare smiles and silently jumps to her feet. Kaion sleeps in one of the rooms while Sisava and Avain sleep in the other. Leare carefully steps over her brother and goes to the separating door. She knows that no one else in her group will be up for an hour. She does know someone who is always up early: Sasharo.

When she opens it she notices that no one is sleeping in the living room like she first assumes. One of the bedroom doors is mostly open and through her slit eyes she can tell that is where the four males are sleeping. She finds Hiei on the top bunk to the right and moves on.

She goes to the second one and quietly slides inside. She immediately sees Sasha on the right side of the single bed with Zokon snuggled into her chest. She's seen this many times and she knows its because he's scared. He should be. His own sister is one of the hugest targets here along with Leare. Although they can protect him easily, he doubts that they will be able to protect themselves as well. There are no rules about killing people outside of the tournament, but there are, however, rules against creating noise or massive bloodshed inside all buildings.

Leare carefully lies down on the ground beside the bed and waits. Sasha has never had a specific time when she wakes up, but it's always early. She's noticed this even with the human's body because it can't contain her wolf as much as her demon self can. She stares unblinkingly at the ceiling and thinks.

Leare hears Sasha open her eyes and then twice. Her heart goes just a little faster as it wakes up from sleep mode. Leare slowly pushes herself up and waits for Sasha to notice her. The revelation that Leare is in her rooms shocks Sasha for a full minute. Leare has always shared a room with Sasha in the past, but she didn't think she would wake up to immediately see the one person she wanted to see. She carefully sits up and positions herself facing her friend. Meanwhile, Zokon migrates his head into her lap.

"The sun is up I see," Sasha starts. Leare nods her head and curls into a proper sitting stance.

"We need to discuss our options," Leare states and smiles. Sasha smiles back just a little.

"We need to save the human world. There are no exceptions to that," She states softly while her fingers curl in and out of Zokon's hair. She was starting to miss the wolf nails she had in her dream.

"That is a _given_. First we need information though, and also a way to get it," Leare tells. Sasha thinks about it.

"I think our best shot will be when either of us fights Quersa, but the only way she'll talk is if she's the one who's clearly winning the fight. That, or we take her out after the tournament and hope she will beg for her life and that we can catch her in time before she escapes," She says. Leare grimaces and looks away from her friend in disgust. Both are terrible plans just as they are cowardly. They don't have many other options though.

"There are better ways. Let me deal with her on my own. I will get everything we need," She says and looks back to her friend with her tiny black eyes. Sasha glares at her, flashes of gold lightning easily visible.

"I want my revenge," She growls. Leare nods her head in agreement after a few minutes of staring. Leare barely outmatched Sasha when they first thought…that was years ago and now Sasha has the Rehiro and also knows all Leare's moves. Sasha may be the better fighter now but neither are sure.

"We all do. Remember, my brother and I were there before the clans split. Our parents were there when the humans were created from the dust of angles and blood of demons…We have always been the allies of the wolves, and never have we let their deaths go unavenged," she announces in a horse whisper as she looks up. As Sasha stares into her eyes now though, her expression softens. Leare looks the most upset she has ever looked and the only clue is her eyes are glistening with black tears.

"I remember," Sasha admits respectfully and bows her head. Leare nods her head and accepts the silent apology.

"We will find Yomi too and make him talk so that you may go home once more…Even Kaion talks about missing the forest and he went back after he was granted his freedom again. You have been away so much longer," Leare says gently and touches her friend's hand. Sasha stares at her, wondering where this random affection came from as well as the sadness. Leare rarely shows emotion that isn't related to happiness or anger.

"I miss our home...The human likes to recreate my memories, and the forest is always one of her favorites," Sasha says and looks away. Her eyes are glistening in pain. It's been many years since she's been home, and she knows that when she goes back she will be a wolf in a pack of two because it is questionable if Kaion will ever come back from this beautiful world of fighting with Leare..

Leare bowed her head in respect for now they were talking about a place that was the graveyard to not only the hundreds of wolves that were murdered, but also the thousands of nature demons who were killed as well during the attack.

"Let's beat Quersa first, and if she doesn't talk then we grab her outside the tournament and you can have her," Sasha suggests. Leare thinks about the undesired plan but still agrees. Quersa is both of their problems, but to Sasha it is more than just business. Even Leare, who has always been with the wolves, knows she needs to step out of the path of an avenging wolf.

"Let us sign a blood pact then," Leare says. Zokon opens his eyes and lifts up his head. Leare takes one of her long nails and slices her palm open down the middle. Sasha does the same with her knife. The two women press their bleeding hands together and the pact is sealed. If either fail each other before the pact is completed, their bodies will burn from the inside. Sasha is the first to pull her hand away. The wounds are gone and replaced my thick black stripes. This is the blood pact mark. It was not that neither trusted each other, but both knew that emotions can get out of hand very fast with both of them.

"We will save all the worlds, and I will make sure you can go home and that you can have your pups, and raise them in a home you know well," Leare said, staring up at Sasha.

"I will help you save the worlds my friend, and I will make sure we will spare once again in a carefree land that doesn't matter how much blood soaks the earth as long as it gives a good show," Sasha promised with a small smile. Leare nods her head and then cocks it to the side. Sasha listens and hears a shuffle as the promised schedule arrives. Leare soundlessly gets up and retrieves the paper from under the door.

"Who goes first this year?" Sasha asks. Zokon stretches and climbs out of bed before quickly leaving. He doesn't want to hear them talk about fighting or strategy as they often did in the past when they got the schedule. However, neither of them were on the same team for once so they weren't going to discuss much.

"Quersa's group," She responds. They both frown then. Leare runs her eyes over the sheet. "There are many new teams. You and your group are in the sixth, we are in the twelfth."

"That's no good," Sasha says and reaches for the paper. Leare watches her hand hang there for a minute before handing it over. Sasha looks over the names that they could be facing but doesn't find any she knows. All of the old teams are fighting on the other side of the bracket. She has a feeling this is fixed somehow.

"You will fight her first. Make the fight last," Leare says.

"I will work on it…I have two days to think of a plan," Sasha informs her.

"You also have to get ready for today. The first match starts at sunrise exactly and remember that these first matches go very fast," Leare reminds her. She nods her head.

"I'll wake my group then," Sasha says and climbs out of bed. Leare steps back but doesn't follow Sasha out of the room. She feels like something is wrong with this schedule…all the new teams sound familiar to her. They sound…like names.


End file.
